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i LIBRARY OF CONGRKS. I 



'I UNITEDItATBiS of AMEIIICA. J ' 



THIRD 



A.ISriN'U^L H.EPOriT 



BRIGADIER GENERAL 



J. PLEASONT 

COMMANDING 

THE HOME GUARD 



€ib 0f lljnabrlpjjia, 



HOI^. ALEXANDER IIENEY, MAYOE, 



1863 



'^0 .3 



^y 



PHILADELPHIA: 

KING & BAIRD, PRINTERS, No. 607 S VN30M STREET. 
1864. 



-.>.K 



THIRD ANIS^UAL REPORT. 



Head-Quarters, Defences of the^ 

City of Philadelphia, V 

December 31sf, 1863. J 

To THE Hon. Alexander Henry, 

Mayor of the City of Philadelphia : 

Dear Sir : — In compliance with your request of the 21st 
inst. "to be furnished with a statement of the general con- 
" clition and business of this department during the year 
" 1863, too-ether with an account of all monies received and 
" disbursed thereby, and of all sources of revenue, that you 
"may avail thereof in preparing your annual message to the 
" City Councils, and that my communication may accompany 
"the same for future reference," — I have the honor to 
report : 

That it was easy to foresee after the failure of the attack 
of General Burnside upon Fredericksburg, on the 13th of 
December 1862, and the subsequent disastrous operations of 
General Hooker at Chancellorsville, in the same neighbour- 
hood, that the seat of war would be transferred to Penn- 
sylvania, with as little delay as possible. 

Timely notice was given to our authorities of the contem- 
plated invasion of our State, but with the incredulity of the 
power, and sagacity of the rebels, that has marked their 
conduct from the commencement of hostilities, they disre- 
garded the warning, reposed in their fancied tranquillity, 
and made no preparation for defence, until the rebel general, 



skilfully masking his movements by, tlic Blue Ridge moun- 
tains from the observation of the Army of the Potomac for 
several clays, swept clown the valley of the Shenandoah, like 
an eagle from his eyrie, and crossing the Potomac river, 
marched directly upon Pennsylvania, in June, 1863. 

So incredulous wore the Secretary of War and the Gover- 
nor of this State, of the imputed design and movements of 
the enemy, that in Governor Curtin's proclamation of June 
12th, 1863, he stated that "information had been received 
"by the War Department, that a large rebel force composed 
" of Cavalry, Artillery, and Mounted Infantry has been 
" prepared for the purpose of making a Raid into Pennsyl- 
"vania," and that the President had created two new de- 
partments, one in Eastern Pennsylvania, to be commanded 
by Major General Couch, and the other in Western Penn- 
sylvania, to be commanded by Major General Brooks, 

These officers were sent to Pennsylvania without troops, 
and were required to defend the State with such forces as 
they cou'd raise within it. 

On the 12th day of June, 1863, Major General Couch 
issued his proclamation from his head quarters at Chambers- 
burg, calling upon the Citizens of Pennsylvania " to furnish 
" promptly all the men necessary to organize an Army 
" Corps of Volunteer Infantry, Artillery, and Cavalry, to be 
" designated "the Army Corps of the Susc|uehanna," "stating 
" that they will be enrolled and organized in accordance with 
" the regulations of the United States Service, and will be 
"mustered into the service of the United States to serve 
'■'•during the pleasure of the President, or the continuance of 
" the war, and that the Volunteers for State defence will 
"receive no bounty, but will be paid the same as like service 
"in the Army of the United States, for the time they may 
"be in actual service, as soon as Congress may make an 
'■'■ a'p'projpriation for that purpose.'' 

On the 14th of June, Governor Curtin issued his General 



Order No. 43, announcing that "to repel the threatened and 
"imminent invasion of Pennsylvania by the enemies of the 
" country, the President of the United States has this day 
" issued his proclamation, calling for 50, 000 volunteers to 
" serve for a period of six months if not sooner discharged, 
"to be subsisted, equipped, and paid by the United States 
"as 'proiii'ptly as other troops in the service." 

On the 15th of June, 1863, the President of the United 
States issued his proclamation, reciting that "Avhereas the 
" armed and insurrectionary combinations now existing in 
" several States are threatening to make inroads into the 
" States of Maryland^ Western Virginia, Pennsylvania and 
" Ohio, requiring immediately an additional military force, 
"for the service of the United States," and calling "for 
" 100, 000 Militia in certain proportions from those States, 
" to serve for six months from the date of Muster unless 
"sooner discharged." On the same day Governor Curtin 
issued another proclamation, announcing that " Pennsylvania 
"is again threatened with invasion, and an army of rebels 
" is approacliing our borders. The President of the United 
" States has issued his proclamation, calling upon the State 
" for 50, 000 men, &c., &c., that it is the purpose of the enemy 
" to invade our borders with all the strength he can command, 
" w noio apparent ; our only dependence rests upon the deter- 
" mined action of the citizens of our free commonwealth," 
and calling upon "the people of Pennsylvania capable of 
" bearing arms to enroll themselves in military organizations 
" and to encourage all others to give aid and assistance to the 
" efforts which will be put forth for the protection of the 
" State and the salvation of our Commonwealth." 

On the same day the Mayor of Philadelphia issued his 
proclamation apprizing the people of the invasion of Penn- 
sylvania by rebel forces on that day, and declaring " that in 
" this sudden emergency, the protection of our State must 
" come mainly from its own people, — inviting all citizens who 



6 

" arc willing to join in the defence of the State and in the 
" shielding of their own homes from rapine, to organize with- 
'• out delay, arid to proceed forthwith to Harrisburg; and 
" requesting that the Commanding Officers of all Military 
"bodies will have their respective commands in readiness for 
"any orders that may be issued;" and in conclusion de- 
claring "that the honor and safety of Philadelphia, and of 
" Pennsylvania are in imminent peril, — let no one refuse his 
"help in this their hour of need." 

On the 26th of June, 1863, Governor Curtin issued another 
proclamation, declaring "that the enemy is advancing in force 
" in Pennsylvania, he has a strong column within twenty-three 
"miles of Harrisburg,- — and other columns are moving by 
" Fulton and Adams counties and it can no longer he doubted- 
" that a formidable invasion of our State is in actual progress, 
" — the calls already made for volunteer militia in the exi- 
"gency, have not been met as fully as the crisis requires," 
he further calls for " 60, 000 men to come promptly forward 
"to defend the State, to be mustered into the service of the 
"State for ninety days but will be required to serve only so 
"much of the period of muster as the safety of our people 
"and honor of our State may require," and then appeahng 
to the people, he continues, " do not undergo the disgrace of 
" leaving your defence mainly to the citizens of other States." 
From this it would appear, that it required eleven days after 
the enemy was in the State, to convince the Governor " that 
"a formidable invasion of our State is in actual progress." 

If proclamations would bring troops here was an abun- 
dance of them. 

1st. General Couch's order of June 12th, for the " Army 
" of the Susquehanna," an unlimited army, without bounty, 
and ivith deferred pay. 

2nd. The proclamation of the President and Governor 
Curtin, General Order No. 43, of June 14th, for 50, 000 
Volunteers. 



8rd. Another proclamation of the President, of the loth 
of June, the day the rehels entered Pennsylvania, requiring 
immediately 100,000 militia. 

4th. Governor Curtin's proclamation of the same date, in 
which lie seems to give up the War Department, and says, 
that "z^ is now apparent that our only dependence rests upon 
"the determined action of the citizens, &c,," and calls for 
50,000 men. 

5th. The Mayor's proclamation of June the 15th, an- 
nouncing the actual entry of the rehels into the State, and 
holding the troops in readiness for service. 

6th. Governor Curtin's proclamation of June 26th, calling 
for 60,000 men, while admitting that "the calls for volun- 
" teer militia in the exigency have not been met as fully as 
"the crisis requires;" a delicate expression, but very illus- 
trative ! 

All of these proclamations were very reticent on the 
subject of compensation for this service, although it was 
immediately required. 

Was there ever such a spectacle? The State actually 
invaded by 90,000 veteran troops, who had beaten the 
Army of the Potomac twice at Fredericksburg only a short 
time before, and here were the President, the Governor, and 
the General, ordering the assembly and instant organization 
of huge armies of hundreds of thousands of men, few of 
whom had ever handled a musket, and who were to be 
equipped, armed, subsisted and formed into an Army Corps, 
to drive the invaders from the State ! Really one would 
think that the fabled days of Cadmus had returned, and that 
without having sown dragon's teeth, armed men were to 
spring from the soil ! 

We had been at war two years and a half: this very con- 
juncture of circumstances had been anticipated and predicted 
from the commencement of hostilities. — Only nine months 
previously, the battle of Antietam had saved the State from 



8 

desolation, though it could not prevent the border counties 
from being ravaged afterwards by Stuart's Cavalry. — Yet, 
notwithstanding this bitter experience, the State lay without 
any preparation for defence, like an immense whale on the 
ocean, awaiting its death blow from its enemy. 

So imminent was the danger now, and so tardy the levy of 
troops, that the Governor of New York, Horatio Seymour, 
appreciating its magnitude, on the 15th day of June sent the 
New York and Brooklyn Regiments of Militia, to Philadel- 
phia, and announced his action to Mayor Henry in the 
following Telegram, viz. 

Albaj^y, June 15th. 
" Mayor Hexry, — 

" I have ordered the New York and Brooklyn Regiments 
to go to Philadelphia at once. 

Horatio Seymour." 

And the Governor of New Jersey, Joel Parker, responding 
in like manner to the impulse of patriotism, sent forward 
300 men of the 23rd New Jersey Volunteers, whose term of 
service had expired, and v/ho were waiting at Beverly, New 
Jersey, their discharge from the service, with the following 
Telegram to the Mayor, 

Trenton, June 17th. 
" The Hon. Alexander Plenry, 

" Mayor of Pliiladelpliia. 

" 300 men of the 23rd N. J. Regiment are expected to 

"leave Beverly at 5 o'clock to day for Plarrisburg under 

" Gov. Curtin's call for assistance ; will they be provided for 

" in Philadelphia, in case they do not get away from there 



" to night ? 



Joel Parker, Gov. N. J." 



9 

These troops under the orders of their patriotic Governors 
were immediately put in motion, fully armed and equipped, 
and provided and passed rapidly to the front, to stand be- 
tween us and the invaders ! 

Enduring be the gratitude of Pennsylvanians to the 
people and Governors of those noble States for their timely 
succor ! 

Could those States have thus illustrated their patriotism 
if they had suffered their militia systems to be neglected and 
abandoned as Pennsylvania has done ? Could the Conscrip- 
tion Act of Congress, which enrols men, but does not organize 
or discipline them, in their respective States, have sent us 
any aid from New York or New Jersey under like circum- 
stances? 

But what a commentary does this fact furnish upon the 
policy of Pennsylvania, and on the wisdom of those who 
govern her ! 

On the 15th day of June, 1863, the Mayor announced the 
entry of the rebels into Pennsylvania, at which time neither 
the National or the State Governments had made any pro- 
vision for the defence of Philadelphia, — thus abandoned to 
ourselves, the Mayor on the 16th of June, 1863, issued the 
following proclamation, requiring the undersigned to order 
out, and into the service of the City of Philadelphia, the 
whole of the Home Guard, for the preservation of the public 
peace and the defence of the City, viz. : 

Office of the Mayor of the )_ 
City of Philadelphia, j 

" By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Act of 
" the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Penn- 
'■' sylvania, entitled " an Act relating to the Home Guard of 
"the City of Philadelphia :" Approved the sixteenth day of 
"May, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty 
" one, I do hereby require Brigadier-General A. J. Pleason- 



10 

" ton, commander of the Home Guard, to order out and into 
" the service of the City of Philadelphia, the whole of the 
"said Guard for the preservation of the public peace and 
"'the defence of the City. And I hereby call upon all 
"persons to yield a prompt and ready obedience to the 
" orders of the said commander of the Home Guard, and of 
" those acting under his authority in the execution of his and 
" their said duties. 

" In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and 
" caused the Corporate Seal of the City of Philadelphia to 
"be affixed, this sixteenth day of June, A. D. one thousand 
" eight hundred and sixty three. 

[Seal.] ALEXANDER HENEY, 

Mayor of Philadelphia." 

This was complied with, and the following announcement 
of the assumption of these duties was made to the public on 
the same day, viz : 

Head Quarters, Home Guard, 
City of Philadelphia, June 16th, 1863. 
Under the authority of an Act of the General Assembly 
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, entitled " An Act 
"relating to the Home Guard of the City of Philadelphia," 
approved the sixteenth day Of May, Anno Domini one thou- 
sand eight hundred and sixty one, and of the requirement of 
the Hon. Alexander Henry, Mayor of the City of Philadel- 
phia, made pursuant thereto and hereto prefixed, the under- 
signed assumes the duties "for the preservation of the public 
"peace and the defence of the City." He invites the sup- 
port and co-operation of his fellow citizens, and of all the 
authorities, National, State and Municipal, in the perform- 
. ance of his responsible duties. 

A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brig.-Gen. Commanding in Philadelphia." 



11 

On the same day Lieut.-Colonel Ruff, U. S. A. was directed 
by Major-General Couch to take charge of the organization 
and disposition of all troops raised in Philadelphia under the 
proclamation of the President and His Excellency Governor 
Curtin. 

On the 16th of June, 1863, my General Order No. 1, was 
issued in conformity to the proclamation of the Mayor, 
calling the Home Guard into the service of the City, and 
copies of the first two proclamations were immediately sent 
to the Secretary of War and General Halleck, at Washing- 
ton, and to Governor Curtin and General Couch at Harris- 
burg, for their information. 

The following letter was also addressed to the Secretary 
of War, viz. : 

Head Quarters, Defences of ( 
Philadelphia, June 11th, 1863. j" 

To The Hon. E. M. Stanton, 
Secretary/ of War, Washington, D. 0. 

Sir, — Under the Act of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, 
approved May 16th, 1861, I have been assigned to the com- 
mand of the City of Philadelphia, for the preservation of 
its peace and the defence of the City. 

I desire that you may give the necessary directions by 
telegraph, to the several military bureaus, to supply such 
requisitions as I may make for the troops, and for the defence 
of the City ; the account to be settled by the City of Phila- 
delphia, which has appropriated 500,000 dollars for the 
purpose, or to be accounted for by the State of Pennsylvania 
in the settlement of its accounts Avith the United States. 

I have also to request the loan of three field batteries, 
completely equipped, except horses, and with the proper sup- 



12 

plj of munitions for tlic defence of tlic City, to be receipted 
for by the Mayor of Pbiladelpliia. 

Respectfully your obcd't servant, 

A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brig.-G-eyi. Commanding in Philadelphia. 

To whicb the following reply was received by telegraph : 

Washington, June ISth, 1863. 
To Gex. a, J. Pleasokton, 

Arsenal Rooms, Philadelphia. 
I am directed to say that all forces offering their services 
for the defence of Pennsylvania, within the department of 
the Susquehanna, will report to Gen. Conch, who is charged 
with all matters connected with their use, supplies, &c. 

H. W. Halleck, 
^ Gen. in Chief. 

On the same day the following letter was sent to Gen. 
Couch, viz. : 

Head Quarters, Defences of ) 
Philadelphia, June 11th, 1863. J 

To Major-Gen. D. N. Couch, 

Commanding Pei)artment of P. Pennsylvania, 

Parrishurg, Penna. 

General, — Under rn Act of the Legislature of Pennsyl- 
vania, approved May 16th, 1861, I have been assigned to 
the command of the City of Philadelphia for the preservation 
of its peace, and the defence of the City. — Acting in subor- 
dination to the authority of the United States, and especially 
of yourself as Commander of the Eastern Department of 
Pennsylvania, I have the honor to notify you of this appoint- 
ment : and to request that my requisitions for supplies for 



13 

these objects on the proper military bureaus may be filled : 
the accounts to be settled by the City of Philadelphia, which 
has appropriated $500,000 for the purpose, or by the State 
of Pennsylv^ania with the government of the United States. 
Very respectfully, your obed't servant, 
A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brig.-Gren. Qommanding in Philadelpliia. 

And the ensuing letter to Governor Curtin, viz. : 

Head Quarters, Defences of ) 
Philadelphia, June 11th, 1863. \ 

To His Excellency A. G. Curtin, 

Crovernor of Pennsylvania, 

Harrishurg, Penna, 

Governor, — Under the authority of an Act of the Legis- 
lature of Pennsylvania, entitled an Act relating to the Home 
Guard of the City of Philadelphia, approved May 16th 1861, 
I have been required by the Hon. Alexander Henry, Mayor 
of the City of Philadelphia, " to order out the whole of the 
" Home Guard, for the preservation of the public peace and 
" the defence of the City." 

I have assumed these duties accordingly, and I have the 
honor to report to you this fact. My duties vfill be performed 
in strict subordination to the Government of the United 
States and to Major-Gen. •!). N. Couch commanding the 
Eastern Department of Pennsylvania. 

May I have your authority to charge the State of Penn- 
sylvania with such supplies as the United States may furnish 
on my requisitions for the performance of my duties? 

I have the honor to be very respectfully, 

A. J. PLEASONTON, 

Brig.-Gren. Commanding in PJiiladelpliia. 



14 

To which the following reply from Governor Curtin was 
received by telegraph, viz : 

Haerisburg, June 11th, 18G3. 

To A. J. Pleasontox, 

Brig.-Gen. Comm'dg Home Guard, Philada. 

The troops for this service are called under the authority 
of the United States. They are to be mustered in for six 
(6) months if the emergency should so long continue, or 
during the existence of the emergency. 

The Government have, as you are aware, ordered to the 
command of this Department, Major-Gen. Couch, and the 
troops are under his control, and supplied on requisitions 
made by him. I cannot consent to assume the responsibility 
of charging the State with supplies that you may receive 
from the United States. I have no such authority. Full 
power is given to Gen. Couch to supply troops called into 
service that are to be commanded by him. 

A. G. CURTIX. 

No reply was received from Major-General Couch. 

Here was an extraordinary state of things ! Governor 
Curtin had no money- appropriated by the Legislature appli- 
cable to the defence of the State. The Government had 
sent no troops to defend Pennsylvania at the time, but had 
called lustily upon the people of the State to do it, while 
they bad no arms or supplies, end when the City of Phila- 
delphia offered to purchase these supplies from the only party 
(the Government) who had them, — the Secretary of War, 
through General Halleck, refers me to General Couch, who 
remains silent, and the Governor "cannot assume the respon- 
" sibility of charging the State with supplies" that the City 
"may receive from the United States," on payment for 
them, saying, "I have no such authority !" 

The appointment of Lieut. -Col. Ruff of the army to mus- 



15 

ter sucli troops as might volunteer for this service, was 
intended to facilitate their organization and transportation 
to Harrisburg, hut the un-willingness of our people to enlist 
for any period in the service of the United States without 
bounty, and with no appropriation by Congress for their pay, 
was so decided, that Governor Curtin was obliged to apply 
to the President for permission to muster the troops into the 
service of the State for the emergency, and to suffer him to 
be the judge of the duration of the service. 

Having obtained this privilege, the monied institutions 
and other corporations of the City, with their accustomed 
liberality and patriotic devotion, placed one million of dollars 
at the Governor's disposal, and offered him whatever sum 
might be needed to put these troops in "the field. 

Though the Governor had no authority to accept this 
money, his patriotism overcame his official scruples and he 
took it. He announced the new powers with which he was 
clothed. Contributions were made of money in large sums 
by individuals, associations and leagues, to hasten recruiting, 
and to fill up companies and regiments for instant service- 
Bounties and pay by the City, were promised in anticipation 
of appropriations by the Legislature or by Congress, and 
recruiting went rapidly on; the minds of men at last began 
to comprehend that danger was real and imminent. 

While these subjects were still undetermined, I transmitted 
to you the following report, viz. : 

Head Quaeters, Defences of ] 
Philadelphia, June 19th, 1863. f 

To The Hon. Alexander Henry, 
Mayor of the City of Philadelphia, 

Sir, — I have the honor to report to you, that in obedience 
to your order of the 16th instant, requiring me to " order 
" out (and into the service of the City), for the preservation 



16 

"of tlic public peace, and the defence of the City," the 
whole of the Home Guard under my command, I have issued 
ray General Order No. 1, of that date, addressed to the 
commanding officers of the various organizations composing 
it, directing their prompt compliance therewith, — a copy of 
which is hereto appended. 

The response of these officers, where it has heen made, is 
hy no means satisfactory or encouraging. Though large 
enrolments have been made for immediate service, under the 
call of the Governor for the defence of the State, in this 
force, yet when they are summoned to be mustered, various 
objections as to the terms, the time and mode of payment, 
and the duration of the service are started amongst the men : 
discussions arise, and. the companies refuse to be mustered, 
and separate to their homes. 

It is not necessary to particularize here, the objections 
made to the muster. They are patent to the community and 
are doubtless well known to you. 

The defence of this City, and the preservation of the 
public peace have been by special legislation of the General 
Assembly of Pennsylvania, entrusted to the Councils of 
Philadelphia. 

Tne power to ensure them, must he exercised, and forth- 
with, or the Councils will incur a responsibility in case of 
disaster that no member of them can contemplate with 
calmness. 

The able bodied men of property in the City must under- 
stand that their property is to be defended by their own 
efforts, that they must stand shoulder to shoulder with the 
men of less and of no means, in the front ranks of our forces, 
if they hope to avert from themselves and the Commonwealth, 
the calamities which now threaten the people. 

I recommend to you and to the Councils the immediate 
organization of a force of ten thousand men, of the several 
arms, " for the preservation of the public peace and the de- 



17 

"fence of tlie Citj." That this force shall he uniformed, 
armed, equipped, paid and sustained, instructed and disci- 
plined, with the least possible delay. 
■ Whatever the cost, it Avill be economy compared to the 
damage which will result, from the occurrence of a panic 
among our people, similar to that Avhich recently arose at 
Harrisburg. 

This force should be made efficient for service and not a 
mere militai-y rabble ; it must be paid for its service accord- 
ing to the regulations of the army ; for the community has 
no right to demand the services, and perhaps the lives, of a 
part of our people for the defence of all, without proper 
compensation. 

Councils should at once make an appropriation of $500,000 
in addition to the sums already appropriated, for the pay, 
equipment and support of this force, which may be required 
only for a short time, but when required, should be efficient 
for its purpose. You and they may rely upon my hearty co- 
operation in the preparation of this force. 

I have the honor to be 
Very respectfully, 

your obed't serv't, 
A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brig.-G-en. Oommanding in Philadelplna. 

The Councils of the City, in a spirit worthy of all praise, 
enacted An Ordinance which was approved by the Mayor on 
the 20th of June, entitled " An Ordinance to provide for the 
"immediate defence of the City of Philadelphia," and which 
appropriated ^500,000, for the immediate enlistment, equip- 
ment and pay, of all able bodied citizens, who may volunteer 
for the defence of the State or City, not exceeding three 
months. 

On the 15th of June, 1863, Captain E. Spencer Miller, 
commanding Company D, 1st Regiment of Artillery of the 



18 

Home Guard, having been supplied with ammunition for his 
twelve pound howitzer battery, was sent forward with his 
command to report to General Couch for immediate service. 
The promptness with which this officer and his company on 
the first intimation of danger have tendered their services on 
this occasion as well as on former calls, is alike creditable to 
their gallantry and patriotism. Appended hereto is his 
official report, marked "A." 

On the 19th of June, I sent forward to Harrisburg, Cap- 
tain A. D. Levcring's Company A, 1st Regiment Infantry, 
of the Home Guard, to General Couch to be mustered into 
the service of the United States under Governor Curtin's 
proclamation, and other companies were subsequently for- 
warded to him as fast as they were ready. 

On the 20th of June, I addressed the following letter to 
General Couch : 

Head-QuaetePvS, Defences of the ) 
City of Philadelphia, June 20th, 1863. f 

To Major-Gen. D. K Couch, 
Commanding the Department of the Susquehanna^ 

Harrishurg , Penna. 

General: — I have ordered to be prepared for your use, 
copies of the sectional maps of the Susquehanna river, and 
the country lying between it and the City of Philadelphia, 
together with extracts from the report of a military recon- 
noissance thereof, that I caused to be made in the year 1861, 
in anticipation of the very conjuncture of circumstances 
which now unhappily exists. 

I will transmit these to you by an officer of my stafi", as 
soon as a sufficient portion thereof shall be prepared, as well 
as other information on the same subject from time to time, 
as it may be needed. 

I had 2;iven these directions and the work was in much 



& 



19 

forwardness, when I received this morning your message by 
Col. Eakin. 

Occupying the position that I do, under the authority of 
the Legislature of Pennsylvania, and of the Municipal 
Government of this City, it has occurred to me that my 
services would be more valuable to the Government if I 
should be brought directly into relations with you, by being- 
mustered into the service of the United States Avith my 
present rank, and assignment of command of the defence of 
the City of Philadelphia. I would thereby be enabled to or- 
ganize with more celerity the large force that will be required 
from the population of this City, for the defence of the City 
and State, and if it should afterwards please you, to com- 
mand it in the field. 

The following is my record of services, viz : 
Entered the Military Academy, June, 1822. Promoted 
Second Lieutenant of the 6th Infantry, July 1st, 1826. 
Transferred to Artillery, October 24th, 1826. Second Lieu- 
tenant 8d Artillery, July 1st, 1826. Resigned June 30th, 
1830. Counsellor at Law at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
since 1832. Brigade Major Pennsylvania Militia, from 1833 
to 1835. Colonel of Artillery from 1835 to 1846. Assistant 
Adjutant-General of Pennsylvania Militia from 1838 to 1839. 
Paymaster-General of Volunteers in service, from 1838 to 
1839. President of Harrisburg, Portsipouth, Mount Joy 
and Lancaster Railroad Company in 1839 and 1840. Com- 
manded the Artillery in suppressing the riots in Philadelphia 
in 1844, and was severely wounded by a musket ball in the 
action with the rioters. Directed under an Act of the Legis- 
lature of Pennsylvania, approved May 16th, 1861, to organize 
and command a Home Guard of 10, 000 men, for the defence 
of Philadelphia, with the rank of Brigadier-General of Vo- 
lunteers. Appointment confirmed by the Select Council, and 
six months afterwards elected by the whole force to the same 
position for five years. Again confirmed, and unanimously. 



20 

by Select Council, and duly commissioned a Brigadier-Gen- 
eral of Volunteers, commander of the Home Guard. Assigned 
to the command of the defence of Philadelphia under the 
aforesaid Act of the Legislature of the State, June 16th, 
1863. 

This suggestion is dictated exclusively by a sense of public 
duty; if I can be useful to the Government and to you 
"whether in or out of the service, let me know it, and I will 
do the best I can for both of you. 
In the meantime, 

I have the honor to be 

Very respectfully your obed't serv't 
A. J. PLEASONTON. 
Brig. -Gen. Commanding Defences of Philadelphia. 

Having immediately on the appointment of General Couch 
to the command of the Department of the Susquehanna, 
transmitted to him valuable topographical information in my 
possession, relative to his department, I received the following- 
acknowledgment from him : 

Head-Quarters, Department 1 

OF THE SuSQUEHANXA, V 

Harrisburg, 18fA June, 1863. )■ 
General : — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt 
of your letter of the 16th inst. 

The Major-General commanding instructs me to thank you 
for the information you have conveyed to him relative to the 
roads leading to Philadelphia, and for the other documents. 

I am. General, 
Very respectfully, your obed't serv't, 
Robert Le Roy, 
Oapt. ^ A. A. Cf. 
Brig.-Gen. a. J. Pleasonton, 1 
Commanding Home Guard, V 
Philadelphia. j 



21 

And the following reply to my note of June 20th, to liim : 

Head Quarters, Department of the 
Susquehanna, June l^nd^ 1863. 

General, — The Major-General commanding, directs me 
to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 
20th inst. 

The General desires me to say, that at present he is not 
authorized to order your muster into the service with your 
present rank, but should your services be needed in the 
capacity in which you offer them, he will make application 
to the department for such authority. 

I am, General, 
Very respectfully, your ohed't serv't 
James W. Potter, 
Ga^t. ^' A. D. 0. 

Briq. Gen. A. J. Pleasonton, ) 

&c., &c., &c. > 

Philadelphia. ) 

On the 22d June, I received the following note from you, 
viz. : 

Office of the Mayor of the 
City of Philadelphia. 

Brig.-Gen. Pleasonton, 

Commanding Home G-uard, 
Dear Sir, — Lieut.-Col, Ruff has stated to me that Major- 
General Couch desires a Company of Artillery for service in 
the fortifications of Harrisburg, and requests that inquiry 
be made whether a practised Company, willing to be mustered 
into the United States' service for the present emergency, 
can be had for such duty from the Home Guard. 
Very respectfully, &c., 

ALEXANDER HENRY, 

llavor. 



22 

Whereupon, I directed Captain^H. D. Landis, commanding 
(Jompany A, of the First Regiment of Artillery of the Home 
Guard, who, with his command is always ready for service 
when it is needed, to report with his Company forthwith to 
Lieut. -Col. Ruff, the United States mustering officer for this 
service, and I apprised Lieut.-Col. Ruff of it in the following 
note, viz. : 

Head Quarters, Defences of "I 

Philadelphia, June 22d, 1863. j 

Lieut.-Col. Ruff, U. S. A. 

Mustering Officer, Philadelphia : 
Colonel : — Your note to the Mayor requesting on the 
part of Major-General Couch, that an Artillery Company 
may be sent to serve the guns on the fortifications at Harris- 
burg, has been referred by him to me. 

In reply, I have to say, tliat I have directed Company A. 
Captain Landis of the 1st Regiment of Artillery of this 
force to report to you for muster for this service. Can the 
Comjjany be mustered and transported to Harrisburg, by 
11 o'clock P. M. to day? 

The Company will be mustered at first under my General 
Order No. 1. for the defence of the City, into the service of 
the City, as a part of its military force ; I then order its 
Captain to report to you, for muster into the service of the 
United States "for the emergency." You will dispose of it 
afterwards in conformity to your instructions. 

All detachments from this force will be sent into the United 
States' service in this manner. 

I am, very respectfully, 
Your obed't servant, 

A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brig-Cfen. Commanding in Philadelphia. 

This Cornpany, 116 strong, reached Harrisburg on the 
night of the 24th of June, 1863, and the next morning was 



23 

sent to man the guns at Fort Washington, a newly con- 
structed earthwork opposite Harrisburg, and covering the 
bridge at that place. 

The officers and men of this Company, in the ensuing 
short campaign in the Cumberland Valley, rendered most 
important and valuable service, especially at Sporting Plill, 
and in the defence of Carlisle, in action with the rebels, and 
elicited a high encomium on their gallantry and steadiness 
under fire, from their immediate commander General Wm. F. 
Smith. 

A copy of Captain Landis' official report of his service, 
and one of General Smith's complimentary notice of the 
Company are hereto appended, marked " C." 

On the 22d of June, some extracts from the military re- 
connoissance of the country lying between the Susquehanna 
river and this City, and copies of certain of the sectional 
maps of that river having been made, I sent them to General 
Couch, by Captain Horace Moses, Assistant Engineer on my 
Staff, with the following letter, viz. : 

Head Quaeters, Defences of 

Philadelphia, June 22d, 1863. 

To the Assistant Adjutant-General, 
Department of the Susquehanna, 
Harrishurg, Pennsylvania. 

Captain : — I have directed Captain Horace Moses, Assist- 
ant Engineer on the Staff of this force, to proceed to Harris- 
burg, and to deliver to you for the use of Major-General 
Couch, commanding "the Department of the Susquehanna," 
certain extracts from the report of the military reconnois- 
sance of the country lying between the Susquehanna river 
from the mouth of the Juniata river to the Chesapeake Bay, 
and thence to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, and 
thence along the west bank of the Delaware river to the 



24 

City of Philadelphia, together witli a map of the Susque- 
hanna river, from Codorus Creek to Peach Bottom, in York 
County, which I have caused to be prepared for him. 

This reconnoissance was made in the year 1861, by my 
direction, by a party of engineers, of -whom Colonel C. M. 
Eakin Avas the chief, and although it is not so much in de- 
tail as I should wish, yet it contains a great deal of valuable 
information, that is important to the defence of the region 
of which it treats. 

You will please to furnish Captain Moses with a receipt 
for these papers signed by yourself, so that when no longer 
required by Major-General Couch, they may be returned to 
these Head Quarters. 

I am very respectfully, 

Y'^our obedient servant, 
A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brig.-Gen. Commanding Defences of Philadelphia. 

Appended hereto, are the receipts of Major John S. Shultz, 
A. A. G., Captain Robert Le Roy, A. A. G., and of Major- 
General Couch, for sectional maps of the Susquehanna river 
and adjoining country, transmitted to General Couch be- 
tween June 22d and July 8th, 1863, marked "D." 

The delay in raising troops, either under the President's 
or Governor Curtin's proclamation, for tlie defence of the 
State, attributable in a great measure to the non-payment 
of the militia and volunteers, who responded to the call of 
Governor Curtin so patriotically, in September, 1862, when 
Pennsylvania was threatened with invasion by the rebels, 
was so great, that the Joint Select Committee of Councils 
for the Defence and Protection of the City, had under con- 
sideration a plan for raising 10,000 men, for the immediate 
defence of the City, and I was desired by the Committee to 
procure the necessary information relative to the equipment, 
support and pay of such a force, to be sustained by the 



25 

City, "without awaiting tlie action of the Legishiture, or of 
Congress. 

For this purpose, I addressed letters to Col. George H. 
Crossman, Assistant Quartermaster-General, U. S. A., and 
to Captain Back, Commissary of Subsistence, and also to 
Surgeon John Neill, Assistant Surgeon-General, and Medical 
Director of this force, and in charge of the U. S. Hospital 
at the corner of Broad and Cherry Streets, requesting to be 
furnished with the necessary data from their respective de- 
partments, for supplying, subsisting and paying such a force, 
all of which information was promptly and obligingly fur- 
nished by those ofl&cers respectively ; appended, is the cor- 
respondence referred to, marked " E." 

On the 27th of June, 1863, the following orders were pub- 
lished by Major-General Couch, and Major-General Dana, 
the latter of whom had been assigned by the President to 
the " organization and command of the Militia and Volun- 
teer forces of the Defences of Philadelphia," viz : 

Head-Quarters, Philad'a, 
June 2.Qth, 1863. 
General Ordees, 
No. 1. ■ 
The following dispatch is published for the information and 
guidance of all concerned, viz : 

Harrisburg, June 2Qth, 1863. 
To Major-General N. I. T. Dana, 

PhiladeljjMa, Penna. 
By direction of the President of the United States you 
are assigned to the organization and command of the militia 
and volunteer forces and defences of Philadelphia, and will 
receive instructions from these head-quarters. 

By command of MAJOR-GENERAL COUCH. 

John S. Shultz, 
, Major ^ A. A. Cfeneral. • 



26 

II. By virtue of the above, the undersigned assumes com- 
mand of this station ; all military organizations of whatever 
kind, including civilians, vf'iW make their rej^orts accordingly. 

III. All existino; orders and reixulations for the govern- 

c5 c o 

ment of this command "will remain in force until rescinded. 

IV. The folloAving named officers are announced as com- 
posing the personal staff of the Major-General Commanding, 
or as assigned to staff duty at these head quarters ; the 
administrative departments of the staff will remain as hereto- 
fore : 

Lieut. Colonel William D. Whipple, additional aid-de-camp 
and Assistant Adjutant General ; Captain Cyrus S. Halde- 
man, Assistant Adjutant- General ; First Lieutenant W. F. 
Milton, 20th Massachusetts volunteers, aid-de-camp ; Second 
Lieutenant Edward I. Parker, 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry, 
Acting Assistant Adjutant- General ; Second Lieutenant L. 
Harwood, Company C, 154th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Act- 
ing Assistant Adjutant-General. 

N. I. T. DANA, 
Major- G-eneral U. S. Volunteers, Commanding. 

On the 27th June General Dana issued the following pro- 
clamation : 

The Defence of Philadelphia, "^ 

Head-Quakters, Philad'a, Penna., V 

June 21th, 1863. j 

Citizens of Philadelphia 1 

Prepare to defend your homes ; the traitors who have 
spread desolation in the southern counties of your State and 
carried into captivity, free men and women, because they 
were black and under your protection, approach your City. 
Their strategy is sufficiently well understood to make it cer- 
tain that their object is Philadelphia. 

Do the citizens of the Quaker City expect more favorable 
treatment at their hands than others ? 



27 

Arise now in your might — sliake off apathy, and show by 
rallying rapidly and arming yourselves to meet, and drive 
back the foe, that you deserve the blessings of a home ! 

To stand idly waiting now, would invite suspicion either of 
treachery or cowardice. 

I urge upon the citizens of Philadelphia, that they close 
all places of manufacture at noon, and all other places of 
business at three o'clock, P. M. of each day devoting the re- 
mainder of the day to military organization and instruction. 

Let companies of from sixty to one hundred men each, be 
rapidly organized ; and having chosen their officers, let them 
report their organization at head-quarters and stand ready 
for service at a moment's notice. 

There is not a moment to be lost, and therefore let us not 
squander valuable time. 

N. I. T. DANA, 
Major- General (Jommanding. 

On the 27th June, in obedience to paragraph 11, of his 
General Order No, 1, of June 26th, I repaired to General 
Dana's head quarters to report the Home Guard and myself 
for service. I there met you, Mr. Mayor, who presented me 
officially to the Major-General. I was received courteously, 
and after some general conversation as to the condition of 
the city, &c., in which I offered to him any aid and assistance 
my command or myself could render in the defence of the 
city, I took my leave. 

On the 28th of June, General Dana sent " a company of 
" the Provost Guard to take possession of the City Arsenal, 
" at the corner of Broad and Race streets and guard the 
" same, and suffer no arms or equipments to be removed or 
'^ tampered with." 

On the 29th of June, the Mayor issued the following pro- 
clamation : 



28 

To Arms ! 

Office of the Mayor of the City of ] 
PiiiLADELniiA, June 2Wi, 1863. ( 

Citizens of PiiiLADELriiiA ! 

One move appeal is made to you in tlic name of duty and 
manhood. 

You can close your e^^es no longer to the startling danger 
and disgrace which hang over your State and City ; the foot 
of the rebel is already at the gates of your capital, and un- 
less you arouse to instant action, it may in a few days hence 
cross your OAvn thresholds. 

There is yet time to prepare for defence. You number 
more than 50,000 able bodied men, the means to arm and 
equip yourselves are at hand — 

Close your manufactories, work-shops and stores, before 
the stern necessity for common safety makes it obligatory. 
Assemble yourselves forthwith for organization and drill ; 
come ready to devote yourselves to the protection of your 
homes until your services shall be no longer needed ; spurn 
from you, those who would delude you to inactivity or dis- 
affection ; their tongues and hearts are more false and hate- 
ful than even the invaders of your soil; let no one refuse to 
arm, who will not be able to justify himself before man and 
God, in sight of a desolated hearth or of a dishonored family. 

ALEXANDER HENRY, 
Mayor of PJdladelpMa. 

The Mayor also directed that the several district statioc 
houses should be used as places of rendevouz, and all citizens 
were invited to assemble there on that morning for organiza- 
tion, either for State or City defence. 

I was invited by you, to accompany Major-General Dana 
and yourself at twelve o'clock, (noon,) of the same day, to 
receive some of these new organizations, and to give General 
Dana an opportunity to encourage the citizens in their mili- 
tary efforts, by explaining to them his measures for defence. 



29 

You, doubtless, Mr. Mayor, remember his speech delivered 
from the steps of the State House ; and it is not necessary 
to make any allusion to it, except to remind you of his re- 
commendation to the citizens to form companies of " Minute 
Men," each one hundred strong, Avhich were to be reported 
to him for duty. 

It was thought singular at the time, that he should ignore 
the authority of Councils, " to create and organize a force not 
to exceed 10,000 men, for the preservation of the public 
peace and the defence of the city," delegated to them by the 
• Legislature, in May, 1861, but as every one wished to aid 
him in his efforts to defend the city, little was said on the 
subject ; and after the speech was finished, you requested me 
to organize these companies of "Minute Men," and to carry 
out the suggestions of the General, which I proceeded to do, 
after having submitted to you for your approval, and having 
obtained it, the following order, viz : 

Head Quaktees, Defences of ") 
THE City of Philadelphia, I 
June 2^th, 1863. j 

General Order, 
No. 3. 
All able bodied men who will organize as " Minute Men," 
are requested to report through their respective Captains 
forthwith at these head-quarters, City Arsenal, in Race street 
below Broad street, that they may be duly mustered into the 
city service for such duty as may be designated by Major- 
General Dana, commanding in Philadelphia, 

By order of A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brigadier- Gfeneral Qommandiiig. 
Wm. Bradford, 

Assistant Adjutant- Creneral. 

Under this order, six companies of minute men were duly 
organized and mustered into the service of the city, for its 



30 

defence, viz : Captain Wm. H. Forbes' company of em- 
ployees in Merrick & Sons' foundry ; Captain Durborrow's 
company ; Captain I. B. Colahan's company ; Captain S. 
Wilcox's company ; Captain Mandcrson's company, and Cap- 
tain Samuel G. Thompson's company. 

On the 30th of June, in order to ascertain what ordnance, 
ordnance stores or men could be obtained from the Navy 
Yard for the defence of the city, I addressed a note to Com- 
modore C. K. Stribling, the Commandant, requesting the 
information. It was promptly and obligingly furnished by 
the Commodore, who also, in a very handsome manner, ten-, 
dered his personal services in any way to assist in the defence 
of the city. Appended hereto is the correspondence re- 
ferred to, marked F. 

Commodore Stribling also sent me a verbal message, de- 
siring me to inform General Dana of the exposed condition 
of the naval magazine, which was filled to its utmost capaci- 
ty with most valuable munitions of war, and requesting him 
to furnish a suitable guard for it. Accordingly, I called at 
once upon General Dana, and communicated to him the in- 
formation I had received, and the message from Commodore 
Stribling ; he said, " the naval ordnance officer had given 
" him pretty much the same information the day before in 
" conversation, and as for the powder magazine and its con- 
" tents, the Commodore must take care of it himself, he 
"would not trouble himself about it !" 

I then asked him for some directions as to the disposition 
of the " Minute Men," who were beginning to report to me 
to be mustered into the service of the city, when he replied, 
"I have no instructions to give you." I remarked, "that 
" the Mayor had requested me to organize these troops, 
"muster them into the service of the city, for its defence, 
" and turn them over to him for duty." He replied, I don't 
" recognise you nor your organization." " Pray, why not?" 
said I. "Because," he rejoined, " Governor Ourtin is op- 



31 

posed both to you and to your organization, and I can 

recognise no one tvJiom he opposes.'' "Well," said I, "this 

' is ver J funny ! we liere respect our State laws and those 

'who honestly administer them ; my organization, as you 

' call it, is under the authority of the Legislature of Penn- 

' sylvania, approved by Governor Curtin, and created by 

' the local legislature of the city. My commission, as 

' Brigadier-Greneral, is signed by Governor Curtin, with the 

' great seal of the Commonwealth attached. You may not, 

' if you choose, respect anything here. But what instruc- 

' tions am I to give to these ' Minute Men,' when I have 

'mustered them into the service of the city?" I then 

inquired again. Said he, " none ; send them to me ;" on 

which I saluted him and took my leave. 

On reaching my head-quarters, I found there awaiting my 
return, an officer from General Couch's head-quarters, who 
delivered to me the following order from General Couch, viz. : 

Head Quaeters Department of the 
Susquehanna, June 29fh, 1863. 

Special Order, iVo. 19. 

Par. IV. — Lieutenant John H. Dye, Company G, Colonel 
Taylor's Regiment, Blue Reserves, " is hereby ordered to 
report to Brigadier-General A. J. Pleasonton, Philadelphia, 
for duty, in preparing maps for this department. As soon 
as the work is finished, he will report in person to the Major- 
General Commanding." " 

By order of Major-General D. N. COUCH, 
John S. Schultz, 

Major and A. A. G. 

When this order was delivered to me, I returned at once 
to General Dana's head-quarters, where I found him with 
his hat on, in the act of leaving his office ; I apologized for 



32 

detaining him <a moment, and then said to liim, '• General 
" Dana, you have refused to recognise me in my official ca- 
" pacity. Now, your superior officer. General Couch, does 
" recognise mc in my official capacity. I -want to know 
" what all this means. Be so good as to read this ' order ' " — 
handing him the above orders — " and enlighten mc upon 
" 'it.' " He read the order, seemed much embarrassed, and 
then said, " I am going to see the Mayor,, jump in the car- 
"riage with me, and we will talk this over as we go along." 
I did so, we started, and on the way, he said, " There seemed 
" to be a row here among the people, and an active opposition 
" to you, which I don't understand, and with Avhich I don't 
''mean to mix myself," (as if he had not done it already.) 
"Now, Avhat is the cause of all this?" "Perhaps," said I, 
" you Avill tell me, for I don't knoAV." Not much information 
was obtained from him, however, and we soon reached the 
Mayor's office. 

After the usual courtesies on meeting the Mayor, General 
Dana said, "Mr. Mayor, there is some difficulty here, in re- 
" gard to General Pleasonton's position, which he will state 
" to you, and on which I wish to be informed." I then nar- 
rated to you what had passed, in which General Dana acqui- 
esced. He then said, " There is a strong opposition here to 
" General Pleasonton, and I want to know the cause of it." 
You then remarked, "General Dana, this opposition to Gen- 
" era,l Pleasonton is utterly causeless, and without founda- 
" tion ! When, in the year 1861, Councils directed the 
" organization of a large Home Guard for this city, many of 
" the most respectable and intelligent men in the city recom- 
" mended me to appoint Colonel Pleasonton to the command 
" of this force. My acquaintance with him was slight, con- 
" fined merely to an interchange of visits, and we were of 
" opposite political parties ; but the urgency of these gen- 
" tlemen Avas such, and their opinion was entitled to so much 
" AYeiffht, that I could not hesitate in the matter. I offered 



33 

" him the appointment, which he accepted, and the duties of 
" which he has performed now, for more than two years, and 
" I say to you, that I approve and endorse every act of his 
"official administration. ' I have heard of this opposition to 
" General Pleasonton before to-day ; gentlemen have come 
" to me, and complained of some of his proclamations and 
" orders that have been published in the newspapers ; but 
" that, as the General has remarked to me, is merely a matter 
" of literary taste and verbal criticism, and does not, in any 
" way, affect his efficiency as an officer. I don't know what 
" General Pleasonton's abilities in the field might be, for he 
" has not been tried ; but I do know, that for organizing an 
" army, or for its administration, he has no equal in this 
" city, and I very much doubt if he has a superior in the 
" army itself. This opposition is all idle, and of no value." 
I thank you now, as I thanked you then, for this honest 
and manly expression of your opinion, which was not lost 
upon General Dana, who expressed himself surprised and 
gratified at it. You further told him, that you " had de- 
" sired me to organize the ' Minute Men,' as part of the 
"military force for the defence of the city." When Gene- 
ral Dana asked you, "But who is to command these 'Minute 
" Men ?' When I am asked that question, what answer shall 
"I give ?" to which you replied, " Say as I do, when that 
" question is put to me, 'It is none of your business.' As 
" soldiers, you are to obey the officers who are put over you, 
" and the responsibility is with them and their superiors." I 
here remarked to General Dana, " Put anybody in command 
" of these people, I do not desire it !" to which General 
Dana, who appeared completely amazed, replied, ^'■Then you 
^^have been treated most unjustly !" " I will tell these peo- 
"ple, as you say "—turning to you— " that it is none of 
" their business who is to command them ; but that General 
" Pleasonton is not." " Stop !" said I to him. " Say no 
" such thing, the appointment of General officers is the pre- 

3 



34 

" rogative of the President. He has appointed a great 
"many unpopular generals, and, as you say, that your 
" friends tell you that I am unpopular, I protest against the 
" President's prerogative being, in any way, curtailed, as 
" on that score, according to your friends, I might be a fit 
"candidate for the President's favor !" It was then arranged 
among us, that the Mayor's plan should be carried out, 
which Avas, that I should organize the "Minute Men " in 
companies, muster them into the service of the city, for its 
defence, and then turn them over to General Dana, to employ 
them as he liked. 

To illustrate this, just at this juncture, a committee of the 
employees, at Merrick & Son's foundry, called to inquire of 
the Mayor, as to the course of proceeding to be adopted in 
regard to the "Minute Men," when you referred them to me 
in the presence of Greneral Dana, for instructions, which I 
gave them, when we all departed. 

It being necessary to ascertain all the resources of the 
city, for its defence, I addressed a letter, on the 30th of 
June, to the Presidents of the several Passenger Railroad 
Companies of the city, requesting information as to the 
number of horses they could respectively furnish, that would 
be suitable for cavalry service, a copy of which, with the 
reply, is hereto appended, marked G. 

An interview also occurred with a committee of the Presi- 
dents of the said companies, who represented the actual con- 
dition of their horse power, to be, by no means, suitable for 
purposes of war ; and the original suggestion for their mili- 
tary employment was no longer entertained. 

In order that there might be no misapprehension concern- 
ing the arrangement that had been made by Major-General 
Dana, the Mayor and myself, relative to the " Minute Men," 
I addressed the following note to Major-General Dana : 



35 

Head-Quaetees Defences of \ 
Philadelphia, June SOtli, 1863. j 

To Major-General Dana, 

Commanding at Philadelphia : 
General : — -Accompanying, I send you copies of my 
General Orders, Nos. 3 and 4, respectively, of the 29th and 
30th instant, relative to the organization of "Minute Men," 
to be placed by the City of Philadelphia, under your com- 
mand, for its defence. Will you please to state, in Avriting, 
if it is, or is not, your desire, that those orders should be 
carried into execution? I wish to know, so that I may not 
do anything which might embarra.ss you in any manner, in 
the performance of the arduous duties to which you have 
been assigned. 

I am very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brigadier-Creneral Commanding, ^-e. 

On the 29th of June, meeting by accident in Chestnut 
street, in front of the Union League building, with General 
Lorenzo Thomas, Adjutant-General of the U. S. Army, an 
old acquaintance, and fellow student at West Point, I 
informed him of my official position here in command of the 
defences of Philadelphia, under an Act of the Legislature of 
Pennsylvania, and the requirements of the Mayor of the 
city, and I suggested to him, that as this city was seriously 
threatened by a large rebel force, then in the Cumberland 
Valley, that for its defence a force of 40,000 men should 
be at once raised from its residents to aid therein, under the 
direction of the General Officers of the U. S., wdio had been 
assigned to the command of the department of the Susque- 
hanna, and of this city, and that it seemed to me that my 
services would be more efficient in the performance of the 
duties entrusted to me, if I should, be brought into more 



36 

intimate relations with Major-General Dana, commanding in 
the city ; to Avhich he replied : " Certainly, by all means ! 
" Go at once to General Dana, and say to him from me, to 
" muster you at once into the service. I am invested with 
" full powers relative to the defence of Pennsylvania, and I 
" direct him to do it. I am going to Harrisburg this after- 
" noon, and I have not time to issue an order in writing, but 
" deliver my message to General Dana, and he will muster 
" you at once into the service," after which w^c separated, 
and I went to General Dana, and delivered to him General 
Thomas' message. General Dana remarked : " That if 
'' General Thomas would write with a lead pencil what he 
" had said in his message, that he would, comply with it forth- 
" with, but otherwise that he could not do so, as General 
" Thomas might die, and he would have no memorandum at 
" all of the order." Whereupon I repaired to the depot of 
the Reading Railroad Company to have an interview with 
General Thomas, before his departure to Harrisburg, and to 
deliver General Dana's message. General Thomas had 
already taken his seat in the cars ; w-hen I explained to him 
General Dana's objections to act without a written order, 
and handed him an order which I myself had written (to 
avoid delay) for him to sign. He asked one of his staff who 
sat behind him for a pencil, and signed the order, and then 
said : " Now do you and Dana go to work with a will, and 
" put the city in a state of defence at once." To which I 
replied : " That I would do everything in my power to 
" effect it ;" when the train started, and I repaired to 
General Dana's head-quarters. The order was as follows : 

Philadelphia, June 29, 1863. 
To Major-General Dana, 

Commander at PMlada. 
General : You will muster into the service of the United 
States forthwith, Brigadier-General A. J. Pleasonton, of the 



37 

Volunteer Militia of Pennsylvania, commanding the Home 
Guard of the City of Philadelphia, who will assist you in 
the organization, and command of the troops to be raised for 
the defence of that city. 

L. THOMAS, A. G. 

I handed that order to General Dana, about four o'clock, 
P. M., on the 29th of June last, who read i^ in some em- 
barrassment, and then returned it to me, saying : " General, 
" when your brigade is full I will muster you with it into the 
"service." " Pardon me, General," I replied, "if you will 
" take the trouble to read that order again, you will find 
" that it contains nothing about a brigade, but that it directs 
" you to muster one a Brigadier-G-eneral of Volunteers for th- 
^^ with into the service," &c., &c., He took the order and 
read it again, when he said : " You are right ; I will publish 
" an order in the newspapers to-morrow morning assigning 
"you to duty under this order of General Thomas." He 
then gave me some directions verbally relating to the 
organization of troops, and furnished me wdth some printed 
forms for official papers, &c. 

On the next day, the 30th of June, having some informa- 
tion to communicate to General Dana, I called upon him at 
his he.ad- quarters, when he informed me that he had not 
issued the order relative to my muster in consequence of 
having received some telegrams from Harrisburg which he 
said: "Would explain themselves," he then handed to me 
the following telegrams, viz. : 

Haejjisburg, June 29, 1863. 
To Major-Gbnbral Dana, 

Philadelphia. 
Have you placed General Pleasonton in command of the 
Militia of Philadelphia ? 

D. N. COUCH, 

Major-General. 



38 

Harrisburg, June 30, 1863. 
To General Dana, 

Commanding, Philada. 
All Generals of the force now being raised will be assigned 
by the War Department. 

None Avill be mustered into service ; General Pleasonton's 
appointment therefore is revoked. 

L. THOMAS, 

Adjutant- Greneral. 

General Dana then informed me that this action had been 
taken in consequence of violent opposition having been 
manifested to my being called into service by some persons 
calling themselves officers of an (inchoate) association, which 
they styled the 2d Regiment of Grey Reserves, (although at 
the time, nor before, nor since, there was no such recognized 
military organization here), as well as by some citizens, (who 
it has been since represented were members of the Union 
League.) 



Note. — One of the curiosities of the recent invasion of this State has been, 
that while under this order of Adjutant-General Thomas, no generals in 
Pennsylvania "were allowed to be mustered into service for the defence of the 
State, and the appointment of one of them was actiially revoked. The Penn- 
sylvania militia were placed under the command of Brigadier-Generals of 
2Filitia from New York, thus assimilating them to the negro troops who are 
not allowed to be officered by men of tl:eir own race ! Another peculiarity 
was, that although Pennsylvania had sent some 300,000 of her gallant sons 
into the field since the war began, yet when she was threatened with inva- 
sion, proper representatives of this numerous force could not be detailed to 
organize and command her militia, or to gather her resources for the 
struggle that was impending ! 

Indiana was called upon to defend western Pennsylvania in the person of 
Niajor-General Brooks, and New York to protect the capital of the State and 
the Eastern Department of Pennsylvania through Major-General Couch, 
while Philadelphia, its principal city and commercial centre, was to be 
defended by Major-General Dana, an off-shoot of Maine, transplanted to 
Minnesota. Massachusetts led the Army of the Potomac to the confines of 
the State ; verily, it seemed, as if the men of Pennsylvania, were intended to 
be made hewers of wood and drawers of water, while those from other States 
sat in high places, and controlled the destinies of the Country ! 



39 

This was all the information on the subject that he would 
communicate. 

It turned out subsequently that a committee had been sent 
to Harrisburg, as soon as General Thomas' first Order was 
known, to have it countermanded, and the application as we 
have seen was successful ! 

Letters of inquiry on the subject addressed to Adjutant- 
General Lorenzo Thomas have remained unanswered. Ap- 
pended hereto is the correspondence referred to, marked H. 

When General Dana informed me " that Cfovernor Curtin 
" is opposed both to you, and to your organization, and I 
" can recognize no one whom he opposes ;" it threw a flood of 
light upon antecedent as well as current events ; it cleared up 
the mystery of the refusal of the Governor in September, 
1862, to accept the services of 5000 men of the Home 
Guard tendered to him through a committee of their officers, 
sent expressly to offer their services in resisting the invasion 
of the rebels, which then appeared imminent before the 
battle of Antietam. 

The pretext offered in excuse for this refusal at the time 
by the Governor was, " that he could not order the Home 
" Guard into the service, even at their own expense, (which 
" they offered to bear), without ordering out all the militia 
" of the State.'" Though the Home Guard law authorizes 
him to order it into service at any time, and though he 
admitted to the committee, " That the Home Gruard organi- 
" zation was the most efficient military organization in the 
" State." It explained also the overflow of this fountain of 
opposition at Harrisburg, through its rivulets in Councils, into 
an abortive ordinance to sever the connection of the city 
with the Home Guard, while the very capital of the State 
Avas threatened by the enemy. 

It was still more illuminating, it displayed in letters of 
living light the necessity of the Governor to appeal to New 
York to protect Pennsylvania from this invasion of 1863, 



40 

because he had declined to foster and encourage that mili- 
tary spirit among our people, "which it was the design of the 
Home Guard to evoke, to vivify and to preserve. It made 
manifest tlie reason that forced the Councils of this City to 
send a select committee of their body, to meet, and endea- 
vour to induce New England regiments whose term of service 
in the army had expired, and which were passing homewards 
through this City, to stop and defend us from the invaders, 
offering to them the tempting bounty of fifty dollars per man, 
and army allowances for the service, rather than employ the 
stalwart men who compose our population, and were organized 
under our own laws, armed and provided out of our own 
treasury, and made "the most efficient" in the State, in the 
language of the Governor, by officers of their own choice ! 

On the 1st of July, I received the following communication 
from Major-General Dana's head quarters, in reply to my 
note of June 30th, 1863. 

Hbad-Quaeters, Philadelphia, ) 
Pennsylvania, July 1st, 1863. ) 

Brig.-Gen. a. J. Pleasonton, 

Commanding Home Cruard, Philadelphia City. 

General, — I am directed by the commanding General, to 
acknowledge your communication of yesterday, received last 
evening, and to say, that he sees no objection to the "Minute 
Men" being organized as proposed; but there is no intention 
that the citizens so organizing themselves, shall be neces- 
sarily attached to the body known as the Hom.e Guard, of 
which you are the commander. 

He has understood from yourself and from many others, 
that that body was composed of only a few officers, and a 
few, if any, men ! And he has understood that a very great 
number of citizens hold insuperable objections to being at- 
tached to it ; he therefore desires that no effort shall be 
made to check the encouraging activity, which he has seen 



41 

on the part of citizens, particularly merchants and manufac- 
turers, to organize themselves as companies of " Minute 
Men," under his call, bj an effort to force those bodies to 
join the organization above alluded to, or in default thereof, 
to be refused the support and assistance which have been 
promised them by his honor the Mayor. He however hopes 
your efforts may be crowned with success, so far as they go 
to filling up your own skeleton command with willing 
recruits. 

I am, General, very respectfully, 

J. W. Forney, 
Lieut. -Col. and Vol. Aid. 

Which extraordinary communication, elicited the following 
reply, viz. : 

Head- Quarters Defences of ) 
Philadelphia, Jul^ 3d, 1863. j 

To Major-General Dana, 

Commanding at Philadelphia. 

General, — I have to acknowledge the receipt of a com- 
munication from Lieut. -Col. J. W. Forney, Volunteer Aide- 
de-Camp on your Staff, of the 1st instant, acknowledging 
the receipt of mine of the 30th ultimo, addressed to you, and 
saying by your direction, " that the commanding General 
"sees no objection to the "Minute Men" being organized as 
" proposed, but there is no intention that the citizens so or- 
" ganizing themselves shall be necessarily attached to the 
" body known as the Home Guard, of which you are the 
" commander. 

I would end this communication here, but for some follow- 
ing remarks in the communication of Lieut.-Col. Forney, who 
by your direction says, "He (the Major-General commanding,) 



42 

" therefore desires that no effort shall be made to check the 
" encouraging activity -which he has seen on the part of citi- 
" zens, particularly merchants and manufacturers, to organ- 
" ize themselves into companies of "Minute Men," under 
" his call, by an effort to force these bodies to join the or- 
" ganization above alluded to, or in default thereof, to be 
"refused the support and assistance which have been pro- 
" miscd them by his honor the Mayor." 

The fact of your being a stranger to Philadelphia, may be 
a reason why you are not acquainted with the provisions of 
the act relating to the Home Guard of the City of Philadel- 
phia, but it cannot extenuate the grossness of the indignity 
offered to me by the insinuations contained in the communi- 
cation of your volunteer aide-de-camp. 

I repudiate and repel them with all the earnestness al- 
lowable by the ofBcial relations which exist between us. 

Accompanying, I send you a copy of that act on the pe- 
rusal of Avhich, you will find that the Home Guard is, and is 
to be composed of " such companies and regiments of volun- 
"teer soldiers, as are now, or may be organized for the de- 
" fence of the said city," &c., &c. And that in the 6th sec- 
tion thereof, it is enacted, "that every member of the Home 
"Guard shall, on being enrolled, be duly sworn or affirmed, 
"to support the Constitution of the United States, and of 
"the State of Pennsylvania, to defend the City of Philadel- 
"phia, when called upon so to do; and to obey the orders 
"of his superior officers, so long as he shall be a member 
"thereof; but nothing in this act shall be construed to ex- 
"empt any of the members of the Home Guard between the 
"ages of eighteen and forty-five, from military service, either 
"under the Laws of the Commonwealth, or of the United 
"States, and that the said Home Guard, or any portion 
"thereof, shall be subject to the requisition of the State, or 
"General Government, for service at any time," &c., &c. 

Do you need a stronger oath of allegiance than the one 



43 

required of the members of the Home Guard, and has not 
the President of the United States, absolute control over them 
for service at any time ? Shame therefore upon all who at- 
tempt to pervert the plain meaning of this enactment, or to 
misrepresent the feelings of the officers and men who com- 
pose this force ! 

I take this occasion to inform you also, that whatever ap- 
propriations have been made by the Councils of Philadel- 
phia, since the outbreak of this war for the defence of the 
city, have been made at my suggestion, and by my advice — 
and it is entirely absurd to suppose that I would refuse sup- 
plies to troops, w^hich I myself have urged the authorities to 
purchase for their especial use. 

I will state General, in conclusion, that one battery of 
howitzers, (12-pdrs.,) one company of artillery, in the en- 
trenchments at Harrisburg, and three companies of infantry, 
have been sent by me from this Home Guard, to Major-Gene- 
ral Couch, for the defence of the State, some of which have 
been already in action, and this morning, some of their men 
are reported wounded ! six companies of the first regiment 
of infantry, of the Home Guard, are reported to me as hav- 
ing been mustered into the service of the State for three 
months, and are now under your orders, while other compa- 
nies are rapidly being filled up for the same purpose. 

I have sent an officer of my staff three several times to 
Harrisburg, with sectional maps of the Susquehanna river, 
for the use of Major-General Couch, commanding this De- 
partment. 

I have placed at the disposal of Professor Bache, the 
engineer officers of this force, and the report of the military 
reconnoissance of the approaches to Philadelphia from the 
south and west, that I had caused to be made in the year 
1861, in anticipation of the very conjuncture of circumstances 
which now exists. 

This information exists no-where-else, and owes its creation 



44 

and preservation to the Home Guard, and has been pro- 
nounced by Professor Bache to be invahiable to him. 

I dismiss these insinuations, therefore with the contempt 
which they merit — and remain, 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brigadier- Greneral Commanding . 

This ended my correspondence with General Dana, that 
commander having desired that companies of " Minute men," 
might be placed at his disposal to work on the fortifications, 
which he had ordered to be erected to cover Philadelphia on 
the west, I sent the following reports to Lieutenant-Colonel 
Whipple his Assistant Adjutant-General. 

Head-Quarters Defences of \ 
Philadelphia, July M, 1863. j 

To LiEUT.-CoL. Whipple, 

Ass. Adft-Gfeneral, Philadelphia. 
Lt.-Col. 

I have to report to you that Captain Wm. H. Forbes' com- 
pany of "Minute Men," (ninety-six men,) employees of 
Merrick & Son's Foundry, has been mustered into the service 
of the City for its defence, and is tendered to Major-General 
Dana for such disposition as he may choose to make of it. — 
They are ready to work on the entrenchments if so directed 
by him. 

Very respectfully your obedient servant, 

A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brigadier- Greneral Commanding. 



45 

Head-Quarters Defences of 
Philadelphia, July Qth, 1863. 

To Lt.-Col. Whipple, 

Ass. Adft-Creneral, Philadelphia. 
Lt.-Col. 
I have ordered the following named captains of companies 
of " Minute Men," which have been mustered into the ser- 
vice of the City for its defence, to report their respective 
companies to Major-General Dana, for instructions, viz. : 
Captain Durhorrow, Captain J. B. Colohan, Captain Samuel 
Wilcox, and Captain Manderson. 

I am respectfully your obedient servant, 

A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brigadier- G-eneral Commanding. 

While the incidents which I have narrated were occurring 
here, a grander drama "\yas being performed in southern 
Pennsylvania. 

When General Lee broke up his camp at Fredericksburg, 
and silently moved into the Shenandoah Valley, on his way 
to Pennsylvania, he concealed so well his movements by a 
strong rear-guard, that much time was gained by the rebels 
on their march, and they would have stolen away much far- 
ther, had it not been that his rear-guard was attacked and 
driven, and its posts occupied by the cavalry of the Army 
of the Potomac, who captured most important orders and 
despatches, which disclosed the object of the rebel campaign. 
Pennsylvania, which since this war began, while the campaign 
has been in Virginia, has been the rear of Washington, should, 
as the vulnerable point, have been protected from all possi- 
bility of assault, as nothing is more obvious, than that a suc- 
cessful invasion of Pennsylvania by the rebels, must neces- 
sarily cause the evacuation of Washington, thus cut off from 
its supplies by land from the North and West — and the loss 
of Washington to the North, would have exerted a most 



46 

controlling influence on the result of tlie Avar. Why, there- 
fore, Pennsylvania -svas left uncovered, except by Milroy's 
command in the Shenandoah Yalley, can be answered only 
by those, -whose duty it was to protect her. It will not do 
for them to say, that the Army of the Potomac, was to cover 
Pennsylvania. Impossible things must not be expected al- 
ways of that army. Pennsylvania Avas strong enough to pro- 
tect herself without the aid of that army, if her resources in 
men and means had been invoked in season ! 

After crossing the narroAV strip of Maryland lying between 
the Potomac river and Pennsylvania, this State was entered 
by the rebels in force on the 15th of June : and Avhile 
threatening Baltimore and Washington, they advanced Avitli 
their light troops to the Susquehanna river at Wrightsville, 
on the main route to Philadelphia, and also attacked Carlisle 
Avhich is about 16 miles from Harrisburg-. 

Consternation prevailed everyAvhere — an officer of the 
Home Guard on duty at Harrisburg, an eye-witness in his 
report says — "as the light increased, Ave saw filing past the 
"Avestern end of the building in Avhich we were quartered, an 
"incessant train of horses, covered wagons, four wheeled 
"chaises, interspersed with every other kind of A^ehicle, and 
"all loaded Avith household goods, able-bodied yeoman, black 
"men, Avhite and colored Avomen, and children — for long 
"hours and indeed for days, the Avealth and the people of the 
" Cumberland Valley rolled steadily by. Droves of cattle 
"varied the composition of the endless caravan, till the 
"number of living things seemed to exceed tAvo-fold the re- 
" sources of the district out of Avhich they Avere fleeing." 

At Harrisburg the authorities hastily gathering the ar- 
chives of the State, its library, and other valuable things, 
hurried them aAvay to places of safety. 

The NcAv York troops, spectators of this migration ex- 
pressed their admiration on entering the Cumberland Valley, 
at the beauty of its scenery, and the fertility of its soil, and 



47 

drily remarked, "wliat a pity it is the people don't like the 
''country ! it must be unhealthy !" 

At Columbia, the people burnt the bridge over the Sus- 
quehanna river, to prevent its passage by the rebels — which 
however would have checked them but temporarily, as there 
are several fords on the river by which they might have 
crossed. 

While all Avas despondency and gloom, at this condition of 
things, and intelligent men knew how fruitless it would be to 
attempt to improvise an army at that moment to repel the 
invaders, a gleam of hope arose to cheer us in the intelligence 
that the Army of the Potomac by forced and rapid marches, 
was in hot pursuit of the enemy, had crossed the Potomac 
and that its advanced guard had reached Hagerstown in 
Maryland — following this, was the announcement of General 
Hooker's retirement from the army, and the substitution of 
Grcneral Meade as its commander. 

Like his predecessor McClellan, in the command of the 
Army of the Potomac, a Pennsylvanian and a son of Phila- 
delphia, General Meade had illustrated his history by dis- 
tinguished services to the country ; he had always done well, 
and if success had not in every instance crowned his efforts, 
it was not to him that the censure of failure was to be 
charged. 

The spirit of the people therefore rose on this announce- 
ment, and they went to work in earnest to encourage, to aid, 
and to strengthen the Army of the Potomac. 

To illustrate the great danger that we have escaped from 
the failure of this invasion, I introduce here the following 
despatch from the Governor of Pennsylvania to Governor 
Seymour of New York, viz. : 

Harrishurg, July 2nd, 1863. 
To His Excellency 

GovERNOE Seymour. 

"Send forward more troops as speedily as possible — every 



48 

"hour increases the necessity for a large force to protect 
"Pennsylvania; the battles of yesterday were not decisive, 
"and if Meade should be defeated, unless we have a large 
"army, this State will be overun by the rebels." 

A. G. CURTIN, 
Crovernor of Pennsylvania. 

Poor Pennsylvania ! with three millions of people, a larger 
population, and with greater resources than had the United 
Colonies in the War of Revolution of 1776, piteously appeal- 
ing to New York to come and save her ! who will not say that 
her cup of humiliation was full ! It is not my purpose to 
describe this campaign. By the mercy of God, and the in- 
tervention of the Army of the Potomac, Pennsylvania was a 
second time within ten months saved from desolation by a 
ruthless enemy. 

Gettysburg is inscribed with South Mountain and Antie- 
tam, in our annals of glory — while songs of praise and thanks- 
giving ascend to the throne of Grace, from three millions of 
people for these signal interpositions of mercy. 

All honor therefore to the Army of the Potomac ! let its 
name henceforth be a household word in Pennsylvania, re- 
vered and cherished as of the saviour under God of this ne- 
glected Commonwealth. 

Accompanying, are a statement of the expenditures that 
have been made by the Mayor upon the recommendation of the 
Joint Select Committee of Councils, on the Defence and 
Protection of the City between January 1st, and December 
31st, 1863, marked " I." 

And an inventory of ordnance, ordnance stores, clothing, 
camp equipage, and intrenching tools belonging to the City 
of Philadelphia, stored in the City Arsenal, and of the ammu- 
nition belonging to the City, stored in the States Magazine, 
together with a descriptive list of goods delivered on requisi- 
tions from the several departments of the Home Guard, 



49 

with an other of those which have been returned, as well as 
of those which having been issued, have been reclaimed but 
have not yet come again into the possession of the City, 
marked "K." 

From my second annual report it appears that on the 31st 
of December, 1862, there was an unexpended balance on 
hand from former appropriations for the Defence of the City 
of thirty-five thousand one hundred and thirty-six dollars 
and forty-six cents. 

Dr. 

1862. December 31. To balance on hand of 
appropriations under Ordinance of April 
19th, and its supplement of April 26th, 
1861, and under Ordinance of September 
15th, 1862, Thirty -five thousand one hundred 

and thirty-six dollars and forty-one cents . $35,136.41 
There was also a claim of $50,000, which 
had been transferred July 21st, 1862, from 
the fund for the Protection and Defence of 
the City, to the relief of the families of vol- 
unteers and which was to be restored to the 
fund out of the proceeds of the loan of $800,- 
000.00, thereafter to be created for the pur- 
pose of continuing relief to the families of 
volunteers .... $50,000.00 

1863. June 20. To amount appropriated by 
an Ordinance of Councils this day approved, 
"to provide for the immediate defence of the 
City of Philadelphia," in the immediate en- 
listment, equipment, and pay of all able- 
bodied citizens, who may volunteer for the de- 
fence of the City or State, not exceeding three 

months, Five hundred thousand dollars . $500,000.00 



Amount carried over . . . . $535,136.41 



50 



Dr. 



To amount broiifrlit over 



^535,130.41 



Cr. 

For bounties to State Militia . . $96,600.00 
Deposited with Banks to pay Troops 149,682.86 
Expended on Fortifications . . 64,634.94 
And for putting in order Public 
Squares after occupation by Troops 
Armory rents and Gas bills . 
Salaries .... 

Tools, picks, axes, and handles 
For Equipments 
Advertising .... 
Ammunition .... 
Artillery Harness . 
Ordnance, (2 rifled field pieces,) 
Limber Poles .... 
Clothing for Troops 
Labor ..... 
Sundry Expenses . 



Dr. 



1863. 
December 31. 



1,549.95 

497.42 

1,141.28 

375.00 

273.50 

568.08 

32.43 

3,264.10 

915.91 

6.8.25 

13,764.70 

1,465.30 

2,427.49 



$23,779.76 



To balance on hand 



8197,875.20 



The item " Expended on Fortifications" requires some ex- 
planation. When the invasion of the State occurred in June 
1863. Professor A. D. Bache, Superintendent of the U. S. 
Coast Survey, ("who had at an early period in that year, ten- 
dered to the Mayor in the handsomest manner, his services 
and those of his assistants to make examinations of the coun- 
try around Philadelphia and to establish suitable sites for its 
defence,) was invited by Governor Curtin and Major-Gene- 
ral Dana "to make a reconnoissance for the construction of 



51 

"defensive works at this place," lie reported for duty to 
General Dana ; and the Mayor Avith the advice of the Joint 
Select Committee of Councils on the Defence and Protection 
of the City, agreed to defray a certain amount of the expense 
of the construction of the necessary defensive works, out of 
the appropriation made by Councils for the defence of the 
City — after an examination of the surrounding country. Pro- 
fessor Bache prepared a plan of defense, consisting of two 
lines of detached earthworks : the exterior line being at the 
distance of some twelve miles west of the City, and the in- 
terior line covering the bridges which are within the City, 
and extending to a distance of about five miles to the west^ 
and southwest of the river Schuylkill. 

Having submitted his plan to General Dana, by whom it 
was approved, the Professor asked him where he should begin 
to throw up his entrenchments — and was told by General 
Dana to " dig where thepeople could see hini" in order to allay 
the excitement which it was apprehended might become a 
panic among our people, if it should be thought that no ade- 
quate measures had been taken for the Defence of the City — 
Hence the redoubts near the river, and on the inner line were 
commenced and have been completed— v»'hile the outer line is 
yet untouched. The cost of these works so far, has amount- 
ed to $64,634.94 — which has been expended by the Highway 
Department through warrants drawn by the Mayor, on the 
fund for the Defence of the City — The claims for damages 
to private property in the construction of these works, are in 
the hands of the Joint Select Committee of Councils on the 
Defence and Protection of the City, for examination who 
will report thereon at an early day.* 

* Note appended hereto marked M, is a letter from Professor M. D. 
Baclie to E. Sj)encer Miller, Esq , explanatory of Ms action regarding the 
fortifications erected last summer to cover Philadelphia, which I have 
been kindly allowed by the Professor and Captain Miller, to append to 
this report. 



52 

All of these expenses will form a legitimate subject of 
claims by the City upon the United States for their re- 
imbursement. They should be, however, properly authen- 
ticated now, according to the rules of the War Department, 
and should be presented to that Department for settlement 
Avithout delay. 

If these fortifications shall be needed, there will be re- 
quired more and heavier Ordnance for their armament, with 
a proper proportion of amunition, than the City now pos- 
sesses. 

The defences of the river Delaware, and of its bay, so 
indispensable to the safety of this City, are still inadequate 
to its protection. The disturbed condition of Europe, the 
war in Mexico, and the probable action of the British Court 
of Exchequer, in the revisory proceedings therein of the 
case of the Alexandra,* should admonish us as well as the 
Government, that no more time is to be lost in putting our 
lake and seaboard frontiers in a condition of complete secu- 
rity. Three years have already elapsed since this rebellion 
broke out, within which time much of the work of construc- 
tion and armament of proper defences might have been ac- 
complished, and yet very little has been done. If any in- 
fluence can be brought to bear upon the Government at 
Washington on this subject, it should be invoked at once. 

There have been issued by the Quartermaster's and Ord- 
nance Departments of this force, ordnance, ordnance stores, 
clothing, camp equipage, and entrenching tools to the fol- 
lowing mentioned troops upon specific requisitions by the 
proper oflBces thereof, previous to their being mustered into 
the service of the City, State, or United States, during the 
invasion of the State by the rebels in June and July last, 
under General Lee, viz. : 

While this report is going through the press, the British Court of 
Exchequer has decided against the United States, in the case of the 
Alexandra. 



53 

1st Regiment of Artillery of the Home Guard. 
2d Regiment of Rifles, " " " " 

Six Companies of " Minute Men." 
One Company of Mint Guards. 
One Regiment of Bridesburg Guards. 
1st Regiment of Reserve Brigade, (Grey Reserves.) 
2d Regiment of " " (Blue Reserves.) 

First City Troop of Cavalry. 
Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia. 
One Company of Henry Guards. 
The Police of the City. 

One Company of Colored Troops, sent to General Couch, 
by the Mayor, but whose services were declined by him. 

Without this oi'ganization of the Home Guard, these troops 
in all probability would have gone into service without these 
supplies, as neither the State, nor General Government 
would have issued them, until all the forms of their muster 
had been complied with — which must have caused much suf- 
fering, and inconvenience. 

The term of service with the United States of Company 
B, of the 1st Regiment of Artillery of the Home Guard, 
commanded by Captain Matthew Hastings, which in August, 
1862, had volunteered for twelve months, having expired, 
that Company was honorably discharged from the service of 
the Government, and returned to this City in August last, 
with the 10-pounder Parrott battery, the property of the 
City, which by an Ordinance of Councils approved August 
4th 1862, had been tendered to the Governor with this Com- 
pany — appended hereto, is an inventory of the battery and 
ordnance stores, as returned by Captain Hastings, marked 
"L." 

A list of the damaged and missing articles, accompanies 
the inventory, for which the Government should indemnify 
the City. 



54 

When, on the 19th of April, 1861, I was invited by you 
to organize and command the Home Guard of this city, a 
force not exceeding 10,000 men, which the Councils of the 
City and subsequently the Legislature of the State had 
authorized to be created, I accepted the position and entered 
upon the performance of the important trust confided to me, 
with all the earnestness and energy of which I was capable, 
and with the confident expectation that my labors would re- 
ceive at least the moral support and encouragement of the 
authorities, national, state, and municipal, as well as of the 
people whom it was designed to defend and protect. 

In this spirit, the work of organization began, and in ten 
weeks from its commencement, a force exceeding 7,000 men 
was enrolled and organized on the plan I had adopted, and 
which had been approved by the municipal authorities of the 
city ; so that on the 4th of July, 1861, some 6,000 men of 
this force, armed, equipped, uniformed, and organized as 
cavalry, artillery, infantry, and riflemen, were paraded with- 
out any cost to the National or State Government, and in 
conjunction with a portion of the newly organized Reserve 
Brigade of 1st Division, P, M. and of some few other mili- 
tary organizations, constituted the most brilliant military 
display and the most imposing force that had ever been seen 
in Philadelphia, 

This force, by the law of its organization, was subject to 
the control of the President of the United States or of the 
Governor of the State, as its services might be required by 
either authority. It was also subject to be called out when 
required by the Mayor "for the preservation of the public 
peace and the defence of the city;" its members were also 
required to take an oath or affirmation to support the Con- 
stitution of the United States, that of Pennsylvania, to 
defend the City of Philadelphia, and to obey the orders of 
their superior officers. 

The rebel leaders in and out of Congress on the outbreak 



55 

of the war had declared that popular tumults and commo- 
tions should agitate our towns and cities, and that our public 
works of all kinds would be destroyed whenever our armies 
should invade their states. 

To avoid these dangers the Home Guard was created, but 
I had also another purpose in view equally important in its 
bearings upon the war, and on its duration. 

I foresaw as soon as the war was evidently to occur, that 
Pennsylvania, from its geographical position, its river, lake, 
and canal navigation, its extraordinary facility for railroad 
transportation, its immense agricultural and mineral re- 
sources, its extensive manufactories of all kinds, and its 
proximity to the actual seat of war, must of necessity become 
the great source of supply of munitions and stores of every 
kind to the armies in the field and to the squadrons afloat. 

The difference in the cost in the single item of transpor- 
tation of these enormous supplies to places where they would 
be wanted, must alone determine the Government to procure 
in and transport from Pennsylvania, Avhatever it might need, 
and could obtain there. 

This would give great activity to trade within the State, 
bring to every farmer's door a market at high prices for his 
produce of all kinds and stimulate largely the development 
of every species of manufacturing industry therein. 

Such a condition of things would attract to Pennsylvania 
capital from other states and countries, to be invested in 
those manufactures made most necessary by the state of war. 
Refugees, also, from the seat of actual or threatened hostil- 
ities, would flock by thousands to Pennsylvania to seek that 
undisturbed abode they were denied at home. 

But one element was wanting to produce all these results, 
and that was securit}'- in Pennsylvania from domestic com- 
motion or invasion by the rebels. The organization of the 
Home Guard would produce this, and if successful here, it 



'56 

would ..-be imitated tlirougliout tlie State, thus rendering 
invasion or a serious disturbance of the peace impossible. 

Unhappily, the authorities at Washington and Harrisburg 
did not appreciate at its just value a subject of this magni- 
tude. They conceived that organization for home defence 
would check recruiting for armies in the field, by attracting 
the young men to stay at home and enter into these organi- 
zations, and that therefore they must be discouraged and 
suppressed — whereas the very opposite was the effect of this 
organization — for the Home Guard was a school of instruc- 
tion for officers and soldiers, and kept alive a military spirit 
among our people, and supplied most liberally to the army 
some of the best material that it has ever contained. 

Indeed, as soon as the men of the Home Guard were 
taught to handle their arms, the pressure of social opinion 
forced them from its ranks to the seat of war ; and if the 
desire had existed, the difficulty would have been to keep 
them at home after their martial enthusiasm had once been 
enkindled in the ranks of the Home Guard. The opposi- 
tion, therefore, of the State and National authorities to this 
force, and their refusal to avail themselves of the services of 
the Home Guard organization when freely tendered, have 
had the effect to repress that military ardor and enthusiasm 
among our people which were so manifest at the outbreak of 
hostilities, and by this repression, in conjunction with the 
non-payment of troops whose services have been accepted, 
and yielded, and the appearance on our streets of the real- 
ities of war, in the forms of men wasted by disease or muti- 
lated in battle, volunteering for military service if not 
entirely extinguished has been so much enfeebled, that it 
can only be sustained by the exorbitant bounties in money 
that are now tendered by corporations and counties. This, 
therefore, was a grave error in the conduct of the war, and 
is now costing the people millions of money. By the pay- 



57 

ment of tliese enormous bounties for recruits, a premium is 
offered to the rebels to continue the war. 

If the 300,000 men whom the President has called for by 
a recent proclamation, for three years, shall be obtained by 
the aggregate bounties of $700 per man, the entire cost of 
the 300,000 men will be 210 millions of dollars or 70 mil- 
lions a year for each of the three years of their enlistment. 
This is exclusive of their monthly pay, subsistence, clothing 
lodging, arms, munitions and transportation. 

No people has ever carried on a protracted war at such a 
cost for soldiers ; and if this expenditure shall be repeated 
and probably increased with every new levy of men, it is 
not difficult to compute the lapse of time, when the means 
to pay such bounties will be exhausted. 

This the rebels understand as well as we do, and they 
will prolong the war, in the hope of our soon reaching that 
period of exhaustion ; therefore I repeat, that the payment 
of high bounties is a premium offered to the rebels to con- 
tinue the war ! 

Having shown that volunteering for military service, ex- 
cept when stimulated by great bounties, is virtually at an 
end, and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania having declared 
that the conscription act of Congress is unconstitutional, 
you may naturally inquire, " How then are our armies to be 
"filled and the war to be prosecuted ?" I answer. That the 
Constitution of the United States declares in article 1, 
section 8, paragraph 14, " that the Congress shall have 
' power to provide for calling forth the militia to execute the 
' laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel inva- 
' sions ;" and in paragraph 15, " to provide for organizing, 
' arming and disciplining the militia, and for governing such 
' part of them as may be employed in the armies of the 
' United States, reserving to the states respectively the ap- 
' pointment of the officers and the authority of training the 
' militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress." 



58 

The only power the States have over the militia, is, there- 
fore, the apjjointment of the officers and the authority of 
training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by 
Congress, The other powers of organizing, arming and 
disciplining, and of calling forth the militia to execute the 
laws of the Union, suppress insurrections and repel inva- 
sions, have been delegated by the states to Congress, and 
are complete and absolute powers over the militia for the 
purposes named. 

There is no limitation of time of service of the militia 
under the Constitution when called into the service of the 
United States for the fjbove mentioned purposes, except that- 
no appropriation can be made by Congress to raise and sup- 
port armies for a longer term than two years. 

Here, then, is the force specially provided by the Consti- 
tution " to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insur- 
" rections and repel invasions" — the very cases which have 
arisen during the present rebellion ; — why has not Congress 
performed this duty ? 

Now it occurs to me, that if Congress will pass an act 
directing the organization of the militia in its corps and 
staff, to be made on the basis of the organization of the cor- 
responding corps of the different arms and of the staff of the 
army of the United States, requiring a service of three 
years unless sooner discharged, whenever needed for Consti- 
tutional purposes, and directing that quotas of militia troops 
shall be furnished by the states in divisions, brigades, or 
regiments, containing the number of men required by the 
President ; and if the Legislature will carry into effect by 
proper auxiliary legislation this organization, the whole diffi- 
culty will be surmounted. 

Pennsylvania, with a population exceeding three millions, 
has about 600,000 men capable of bearing arms, which 
would furnish some 600 res-iments formed into bricfades and 
divisions. After they are organized, suppose 20,000 men 



59 

are wanted from tins State. The numbers of all the regi- 
ments, according to their arm of the service, would be put in 
wheels, respectively ; those of each arm by themselves, and 
twenty regiments, either all of infantry or composed of 
infantry, artillery and riflemen in such proportions (but , 
always in regimental organizations of their respective arm,) 
as the President might have required, would be drawn by 
members from the lottery wheel. The regiments Avhose 
numbers should be first drawn would be held ready for the 
first service ; the next 20 numbers drawn would be for the 
second draft unless more than 20 regiments were needed for 
the first, and so on until the whole 600 numbers were drawn. 

These regiments according to their drawn numbers, would 
be sent by the Governor, without delay to the President, on 
receiving his requisition for them ; the Legislature would 
provide for the appointment of the officers, and when they 
were sent into the service, boards of examination would de- 
termine their fitness, as is done now with officers of volun- 
teers'. 

A certain proportion of the -men of each regiment might 
be entitled to exemption from a given draft, to be deter- 
mined by lot among all the men thereof, which would give 
every man, when his regiment was drafted, whatever his con- 
dition, a chance to get clear of the service, and thus avoid 
the objections to the commutation in money clause of the 
present conscription law. The non-exempts in a regiment 
might be allowed to provide substitutes among the exempts 
of their own regiment at a price to be fixed by Congress, of 
which one half should go to the substitute and the other 
into the Treasury of the United States. 

The officers and soldiers who have already served and 
have been honorably discharged from the service of the 
United States, would form a large class from which this 
militia force could be officered. They are familiar with the 
rules and articles of war and the rea;ulations of the service, 



60 

and therefore Avould require little instructions to fit tliem for 
the field. 

In lieu of excessive bounties, the pay of the troops should 
be increased so as to equal the wages of labor noAV enhanced 
in private life by a reduced supply and a depreciated cur- 
rency. Pensions and grants of land, and civil ofl&ces should 
be awarded after the discharge of the troops from service, to 
all who had distinguished themselves in battle, or had ren- 
dered valuable service to the country during the war. Re- 
tuards should folloio the service rendered, and 'not precede it, 
which bounties do. 

The increase of pay of the troops will release the commu- 
nity from the tax of supporting their families in their 
absence, as by this increase the men by allotments of their 
pay, a practice well known in the service, can support their 
own families in their absence. 

The present provost marshal machinery in the states 
and the enrolments already made by it under the conscrip- 
tion act can easily be applied to the enrolment and organi- 
zation of the militia, and in three months a force would 
be obtained adequate to all exigencies and constantly re- 
newing itself. 

" Where there is a will there's a way," and if this sugges- 
tion shall be approved, the plan can easily be elaborated; it 
will remove, if adopted, many honest objections entertained 
by loyal men to the present modes of filling up our armies. 

Let Congress repeal its absurd militia laws, which require 
militiamen to furnish at their own expense, their arms, ac- 
coutrements and ammunition — a relic of Daniel Boon's day ! 

And let it increase the annual appropriation for arming 
the militia of $200,000, (enacted April 3d, 1808, fifty-six 
years ago, when our population did not exceed five millions,) 
to twenty millions of dollars a year, which would then only 
allow three dollars and thirty-three cents per man for the 



61 

six millions of militiamen that the country contains, while 
a single musket costs at least fifteen dollars ! 

For the last thirty years, secession being in the contem- 
plation of the southern leaders in Congress, they never 
would increase the annual appropriation for arming the 
militia, nor would they allow the northern militia to be 
armed, instructed or disciplined, lest under the Constitution, 
it should be used effectively against them and their traitorous 
designs, and strange to say, the northern members of Con- 
gress could not see or understand their policy ; so we now 
find ourselves in a protracted war with a subtle enemy, and 
the militia, the Constitutional force to end it, disorganized 
and of little present value ! 

But Congress may, and should at once give it form and 
consistency, and its power will be developed to a degree 
which will bid defiance to domestic treason or foreign aggres- 
sion. Our armies will then be composed not only of the 
bone, sinew, and muscle of the people, but they will possess 
also the brain, an element of power in which, so far, they 
have been sadly deficient. 

In this manner, you will equalize the burthen of military 
service among all classes of the people ; you will make this 
and all other wars national ; you will bring into the service 
men of every religious sect, and of all political parties ; the 
draft being by regiments and by larger bodies, will not have 
the objectionable features that it presents in individual cases, 
and as you will have then in the armies a stronger infusion 
of the education and intelligence of the country, than you 
can have under the present system, you may fairly calculate 
that this war will be made "short, sharp, and decisive." I 
have given you the reasons for the creation of the Home 
Guard. These reasons by the events of the war become 
intelligible to the meanest capacity. Two invasions of the 
State within less than one year, have abundantly illustrated 
our exposed condition, while the appeal of Governor Curtin 



62 

to the Governor of New York for aid to protect Pennsyl- 
vania, while it contains more than three millions of people 
and immense material resources, brings the blush of shame 
to our cheeks for the improvidence and neglect of our State 
and National obligations which created its necessity. 

I desire to call your attention to the very valuable though 
quiet and unobtrusive services of the officei's of the medical 
sta£F of this force, who continually, since the early part of 
the year 1861, have been engaged in the organization and 
administration of the numerous large hospitals of the United 
States in and around this city. 

At an early period of the war I addressed the following 
letter to Surgeon-General Finley of the U. S. Army, urging 
him to establish here the general hospitals of the army, for 
sick and wounded soldiers, viz. : 



Head Quarters Home Guard, | 
City of Philadelphia, June 29th, 1861. j 

To Dr. Clement A. Finley, 

Sur.-G-en. TJ. 8. Army, Washington, D. G. 

Doctor : The commencement of hostilities upon a large 
scale is probably near at hand. The Government of the 
United States will in that event require extensive hospital 
accommodations, which should be convenient and easily ac- 
cessible to the seat of war. Your residence for a long time 
in this city, has made you acquainted with all the advantages 
to be derived by the Government from its selection as the 
site of its general military and naval hospitals. I may be 
permitted, however, to suggest among them, 1st. Its well 
established character for healthfulness, being in that respect 
the second city in the w^orld — London being considered to be 
the first. 

2d. Its easy communication with all parts of the country 
by land or water. 



63 

3d. The abundance, variety, and comparative cheapness 
of all esculents. 

4th. The great facility with which drugs, medicines, sur- 
gical instruments, and appliances of every kind necessary to 
the proper treatment of patients, can be procured at all seasons. 

And lastly, the great number of professional medical men, 
rich in all the acquisitions of medical and surgical science 
and practical experience, from whom the government could 
procure at all times and for such terms of service as it might 
need, all the assistants that the public exigencies might 
require. 

In anticipation of such eventualities, I have organized one 
of a series of military hospitals for the use of the Home 
Guard under my command, which I have placed under the 
charge of Dr. John Neill, the Medical Director of this force. 

Its use has been tendered to, and accepted by Major-Gen- 
eral Patterson, for the Department of Pennsylvania, and for 
such troops of the United States as may be near, or passing 
through Philadelphia. 

I have now the honor to suggest, and to tender to you on 
an enlarged scale, this hospital organization as the basis of 
your General Hospital for the army of the United States ; 
and in order to increase the sphere of its usefulness, its 
organization may be modified in conformity to the views that 
you may entertain in calling into existence such an insti- 
tution. 

Dr. Neill, under your authority may be invested with such 
powers and prerogatives, subordinate, however, to such med- 
ical officers of the army of superior grade, having charge of 
the General Hospital, as you may think proper to confer 
upon him. 

With these suggestions, I have the honor to remain. 
Very respectfully, your obed't serv't, 
A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brig.-Cfen. Commanding Home Cruard. 



64 

These views having been approved at Washington, orders 
were issued by the War Department, for the establishment 
here of a large number of first class hospitals ; and the 
Home Guard Hospital in Christian street below Tenth 
street, the first military hospital established here during the 
war, was accepted and has been continued as one of them, to 
the present time. Thousands of our gallant soldiers from 
all parts of the Union, have had their sufierings from sick- 
ness or wounds alleviated or removed in these hospitals, 
which in their organization and administration, have been 
models for imitation elsewhere. To the officers in charge of 
these hospitals this credit is due, and I have great pleasure 
in awarding it to them by name, as follows, viz. : 

1. Assistant Surgeon-General and Medical Director John 
Neill, who organized the first hospital in Christian street 
below Tenth street. 

2. Surgeon Samuel L. Hollingsworth. 

3. Surgeon Joseph Hopkinson. 

4. Surgeon Francis G. Smith. 

5. Surgeon J. H. B. McClellan. 

6. Assistant Surgeon John H. Packard. 
T. " " John B. Brinton. 

8. " " Francis W. Lewis. 

9. " " William Dutton. 

10. " " Charles H. Boardman. 

Surgeon Benjamin B. Wilson, is now on duty with 
Major General Banks in the Department of Louisiana and 
Texas, and Assistant-Surgeon H. St. Clair Ashe, was 
on duty with the troops in the recent campaign in Penn- 
sylvania. When it was ascertained that the Home Guard 
would not be employed in the defence of the State, during 
the invasion by the rebels in June and July" last, two officers 
of my staff, viz., Captain Thomas B. Dwight, Aid-de-Camp, 
and Captain Frank Field, Ordinance Officer, applied for 



65 

leave of absence, and enlisted as privates, tlie first named in 
Captain Landis's Battery A, of this force, and the latter in 
the First City Troop of cavalry, and both served creditably 
their respective tours of duty, during the campaign. 

The following named ofiicers, late of my stafi", have 
entered the service of the United States, viz., Major A. J. 
Cohen, Assistant Inspector General, as Assistant Adjutant 
General ; Captain Edward Sellers, Aid-de-Camp, now Cap- 
tain 10th Reg't U. S. Infantry ; Captain J. G. Rosengarten, 
Assistant Military Secretary, late Captain 121st Reg't P. V; 
Captain Samuel B. Henry, Aid-de-Camp, now Paymaster, 
U. S. Army ; Captain Anthony J. Clay, Quartermaster, now 
of the 58th P. Y. ; Chief Engineer Thos. J. Cram has been 
promoted to be Colonel, U. S. Engineers. 

I have also to commend the attention of Major William 
Bradford, Assistant Adjutant-General ; Major Geo. W. Sim- 
mons, Assistant Quartermaster-General ; Major James S. 
Watson, Assistant Commissary-General ; Captains Henry 
Pickel and Horace Moses, Assistant Engineers ; Captains 
A. M. Spangler, Quartermaster ; John A- Merritt and A. J. 
Harper, Aides-de-camp, to their respective duties during the 
year. 

Major Strickland Kneass, Chief Engineer, was employed 
in assisting Professor A. D. Bache in the exploration of the 
adjoining country for sites for military defences, and in 
having prepared under my direction copies of the maps of 
the Susquehanna river, on the survey of which he was en- 
gaged in the year 1861, for the use of Major-General Couch. 
His services have been very valuable. Lieutenant John A. 
Wimer, Superintendent of the City Arsenal, has been assid- 
uously employed in the collection and preservation of the 
military property of the City, and during the invasion, he 
has issued under my direction, all the military supplies that 
were intended for the use of the troops taking the field. His 
duties have been most satisfactorily performed. 



66 

I have great pleasure in tending to the Honorable, the 
Select and Common Councils of the Citj, to their joint 
Select Committee on the Defences and Protection thereof, 
and to yourself, my sincere thanks for their and your kind 
and courteous consideration of, and concurrence in those 
measures, that during the last three years, I have recom- 
mended for the defence and security of our noble city and 
state. 

For myself, having no aspirations for place or power, now 
or in the future — for my experience has taught me that the 
tenure of either is too slight to be worth the effort to pro- 
cure or maintain it — I can look back with perfect complacency 
and equanimity upon the expedients which have been adopted 
to embarrass and obstruct the operations of the Home Gruard, 
while I deplore that mistaken policy of those high in au- 
thority, which^ rejecting the services of thousands of our 
willing fellow-citizens in the defence of the Commonwealth, 
did not hesitate to appeal for its protection to the military 
power of another State. 

The only shield now interposed between us and the deso- 
lation of war is the Army of the Potomac, one half of 
whose ranks is now filled with raw recruits. 

Should this army meet with a serious reverse, or it may 
even happen without it, the seat of war will be transferred to 
Pennsylvania. What is now our military condition, and what 
are our preparations for such an event ? Let the authorities 
and the people ponder on these questions ; for, should that 
change occur, the people will fix the responsibility where it 
belongs, and no excuse will be suffered to palliate a devas- 
tated country and a degraded Commonwealth. 

All which is respectfully submitted by 

Your obedient servant, 

A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brig.-Cren. Commanding, ^c. 



TO THE 

'THIED ANNUAL EBPOET 

OF 

BEIGADIER-GENERAL 

A. J. PLEASONTON, 

COMMANDING 

THE HOME GUAUD 

OF THE 

Citg of ^^ifebtlp^ia, 

TO THE 

HOK ALBXANDEE HENEY MAYOE, 

FOR THE YEAR 

1863 



CONTENTS. 

Page. 

A. Official Report of Captain E. Spencer Miller, 1st Artillery. 69 

B. " " Captain A. D. Levering, 2d Regiment Rifles.... 73 

C. " " Captain H, D. Landis, ist Artillery 76 

D. Receipts of Major John S. Scliultz, A. A. Gr., Captain Robert 

Leroy, A. A. Gr., and Major-General D. N. Couch, for Mai^s, 
&c., of the Susquehanna river 93 

E. Correspondence with Col. Geo. H. Crossman, A. Q. G., Captain 

Back, A. C. S., and Surgeon John Neill. 95 

F. Correspondence with Commodore C. K. Stribling, U. S. N 96 

G. Correspondence with the Board of Presidents of the Philadelphia 

Passenger Railroad Companies 98 

H. Letters to Adjutant- General Thomas, U. S. A 103 

K. Inventory of Ordnance, Ordnance Stores, &c 104 

L. Inventory of 10-pounder battery, Ordnance Stores, &c., returned 

by Captain Matthew Hastings, 1st Artillery 104 

M. Letter of Professor A. D. Bache, U. S. Coast Survey, to E. Spen- 
cer Miller, Esq 104 



Official Report of Captain E. Spencer Miller, commanding 
lattery D, 1st Regiment Artillery, P. H. G. 



Brigadiee-General a. J. Pleasonton. 

General : — In compliance with your request, I have the 
honor to communicate to you the movements of battery D, 
of the 1st artillery regiment, under your command in June 
and July last, during the invasion of the State by the rebel 
army under General Robert E. Lee. 

I left this City on June 16 th, with about twenty-five men of 
my command and the four navy twelve-pounder howitzers, 
and two rifled pieces belonging to the battery. It was I be- 
lieve the first company that left the city. "We reached Harris- 
burg that night, and were soon after ordered to camp Curtin. 
There my command was recruited to the number of about one 
hundred men, most of whom were mustered into the service of 
the United States, on the 19th of that month " for the emer- 
gency ;" on Sunday the 21st, I received orders from General 
Couch to relieve Captain Watmough of the United States 
Navy, who, with the Naval battery, had on the preceding day 
gone towards Chambersburg, in company with the New York 
8th and 71st regiments. I immediately proceeded with my 
command by rail to Shippensburg, where I found Captain Wat- 
mough, and after waiting there until Monday, when the bridge 
at Scotland, burnt by the enemy, had been rebuilt, we pro- 
ceeded still by rail to Chambersburg, which we reached on the 
morning of the same day. On reporting to Gen'l Knipe, I was 
ordered to proceed with two sections of my battery, to the other 
side of the town, to a ridge forming one of the lines of camp 
McClure, where the Militia were encamped in Sept., 1862. 
While the other section was sent to guard a road in another 
direction ; here we took our position in line of battle, with 
the 8th and 71st 'Npv^ York regiments, the infantry being 



70 

drawn up under cover of a wood, wliilc our jDieces were masked 
with branches : Captain now Colonel Boyd, with a small body 
of cavalry was picketing and scouting in our front, and the 
enemy were reported to be advancing in large force. After 
waiting in line until evening, we were ordered to fall back to 
Chambersburg, and taking the cars from there the same night, 
we returned to Shippensburg, and the next day to Carlisle. 
I have since been informed that the force of the enemy in 
front of us at Chambersburg, consisted of about eight thous- 
and of E well's corps ? While our force numbered little more 
than one thousand of raw militia. I have also learned that 
great fears were entertained at Harrisburg that our retreat 
by rail would be cut off by cavalry, or by a second burning 
of the bridge at Scotland : and, iii fact that the whole train 
would be captured at Carlisle, which we reached on Tuesday 
morning, June 23d. The battery, in company with the New 
York regiments, guarded several of the approaches to the town 
till the evening of the 24th, when Captain Boyd having again 
announced the advance of the enemy in large force, we were 
formed in line of battle, about a mile beyond the town ; our 
force at daybreak commenced the work of digging rifle-pits 
and earth-defences for our guns, and constructing barricades. 
The force with us still consisted only of the New York regi- 
ments before mentioned : That evening two of ray guns hav- 
ing been placed by order of General Knipe upon the cars, we 
were again ordered to retreat, which we did for the first time, 
abandoning the railroad, and marching back through Car- 
lisle towards Harrisburg, halting about midnight at the vil- 
lage of Kingston ; here we remained the whole of the next 
day, and on the evening of the 27th, were advanced again 
about a mile towards Carlisle, and drawn up in line of battle, 
in a position somewhat similar to that at Chambersburg ; our 
force being on the crest of a slight ridge, and principally 
concealed by a wood; after continuing in this position a short 
time we once more fell back towards Harrisburg, reaching 



71 

Oyster Point before sunset, where we found other militia regi- 
ments, and slept with our guns in position; next morning 
we ao-ain advanced a short distance, and our line was formed 
on Sporting Hill, where for the first time, the enemy's guns 
opened upon us from so great a distance, hoAvever, that 
they produced no eflfect. We were again ordered to re- 
tire toAvards Harrisburg, and having reached the entrench- 
ments, were assigned a position at their most extreme outer- 
line. From the nature of our service prior to this period, and 
from what I have since heard, I believe that the small force 
under General Knipe to which we belonged, was sent to 
Chambersburg, not with a hope that we could make any sub- 
stantial resistance, but to retard the advance of the enemy 
by a show of strength, and thus gain time for defensive pre- 
parations at Harrisburg. We remained encamped outside of 
Harrisburg, until the 1st of July, when the battery was 
again ordered under Greneral Knipe, to Carlisle, with the 
New York Tlst and 8th. Battery A, of your command had 
preceded us. When we had reached a point about five miles 
from Harrisburg, we were halted for the night. 

From our position we saw the burning of the barracks at 
Carlisle, and heard the guns of Fitzhugh Lee shelling the 
town. You are already aAvare hoAV well one section of bat- 
tery A, under Lieutenant Perkins and the whole of that bat- 
tery under Captain Landis, behaved during the very critical 
period between their leaving Harrisburg in advance of us, 
and the morning of the 2nd of July, when General Fitzhugh 
Lee left Carlisle wdth his force, to join General Robert E. 
Lee, at Gettysburg. It was a serious cause of regret to us 
that we were not permitted to share their dangers at that 
time and earn some of the honors that they won. On the 
evening of the 3d we reached Carlisle, and next morning be- 
gan our march over the South Mountain, in the general direc- 
tion of the great battle then already gained. My belief is 
that General Smith was in hopes that the militia might be so 



72 

distributed on the mountain gaps as to harass the enemy, 
and perhaps cut oiF part of his retreating force. On the morn- 
ing of the 4th we marched out of Carlisle to Papertown, 
where, during a halt, we were overtaken by a heavy rain last- 
ing for several hours, rendering the passage through Holly 
Gap which we effected that night, a matter of some labor, 
owing to the miserable state of the narrow mountain roads, 
the swollen condition of the streams which had carried away 
many bridges, the darkness of the night, and the exhausted 
state of our horses. From Laurel Forge, which we reached 
at midnight, we marched the next day to Pine Grove Fur- 
nace ; in the Gap we met the prisoners taken and paroled by 
the rebels, on the 1st day of the battle, sent under escort to 
this point Avith the design no doubt, of ascertaining what our 
force was. These prisoners gave very discouraging accounts 
of the fight which, when they left, was going against us, and 
of whose glorious termination we then knew nothing. From 
Pine Grove where from want of horses we were ordered to 
leave two more of our guns, we marched on the 6th nearly 
eighteen miles over the mountains ; and although we were at 
that time suffering, in common with many of the militia, from 
very scanty rations, we accomplished this distance, as I be- 
lieve without a single case of straggling. We marched the next 
morning to Funkstown, from which place we proceeded, on 
the following day, the 8th, to Waynesboro, where we found a 
portion of the 6th corps of the army of the Potomac. 

On our camping ground about a mile from the town we re- 
mained till the morning of the 10th, when owing to a fear of 
the approach of a force from that quarter, we were ordered 
to a position on the Greencastle turnpike, about two miles 
from town, where we remained with a small force, till even- 
ing, and then returned to Waynesboro. The next day, to- 
ward evening, we were ordered to accompany the column in 
its movement toward Seitersburg, whence we marched the 
next day to Cavetown, where our guns were placed in posi- 



73 

tion on a hill near that place. The following day the 13th, 
we proceeded to Boonesboro', and here we joined the army of 
the Potomac. On the 14th, the rebel forces having retreated 
from their position and crossed the river, and Hagerstown 
being in our possession, we marched toward that place, and en- 
camped near it for the night. The New York regiments 
which had supported our battery, now left us and returned 
home. After remaining three days near Hagerstown, we 
marched to Greencastle, where we spent Sunday. Starting 
for Chambersburg early on Monday morning the 20th. Here 
we encamped in a wood, which had been the head-quarters of 
General Robert E. Lee, till the 24th, whqn we went by rail 
to Harrisburg, and the following day were mustered out of 
the service, the term of our enlistment having expired. 

It is due to my men to say that they suffered the very un- 
usual and severe hardships incident to this short campaign 
with more than usual patience and subordination. They 
marched into danger not only with firmness, but alacrity, 
and I have every reason to believe that if they had been more 
seriously tried than they were, they would not have given you 
cause to be ashamed of them ; not in one instance did I find 
any one man shrinking from duty, or making a point as to 
how far he ought to be ordered. 

I am General, 

Very respectfully your obedient servant, 

E. SPENCER MILLER, 

Captain lattery D, 1st regiment Artillery, P. H. G-. 

Official Report of Qapt. A. D. Levering, Co. A. 2d Regiment 
Rifles, P. H. a. 
B. 
To Brigadier-General A. J. Pleasonton, 

General : — I have the honor to report, that in obedience 
to your orders of June 19, 1863, I reported my command 



74 

of 87 (officers and men) at Ilarrisburg on the 20tli, and was 
accepted for the emergency in the State service. 

AYe remained at Harrisburg until the 26th, when the 31st 
regiment was organized, under command of Colonel John 
Kewkumet. My company was embraced in that organization, 
and designated Company A., 31st Regiment P. Militia, 

June 30th, the regiment was ordered to Perrj'^sville on the 
Juniata river, forty-six miles above the capital, to guard the 
place and drive out the rebels, who in small force -had entered 
the valley, and were plundering the farmers of their horses 
and cattle. The object of the expedition was accomplished, 
and on the morning of July 4th, we were ordered into the 
cars, Avhen we were immediately taken to Carlisle. Here we 
remained until the morning of the 5th, when we Avere ordered 
to take up our line of march ; we moved down the pike to 
Papertown, when we made a detour, and directed our march 
for and over the South Mountains, reaching Pine Grove 
Furnace, a distance of eighteen or twenty miles, fording 
creeks ^'- ivhose name is legion" swollen by the rains con- 
stantly falling, which also made the roads insufferably 
heavy. 

July 6th : Marched to the Gettysburg pike, and camped 
about half way between that celebrated place and Chambers- 
burg, making this day about the same distance. 

July 7tli : FolloAved the pike south about six miles, to 
GreenAYOod, when Ave found the road obstructed, and pitched 
our tents for the night. 

July 8th: We left our camp at 2| P. M., and moved 
tOAvards Waynesboro, taking the FunkstoAvn road, passing 
through Waynesboro, we arrived and camped in a field two 
and a half miles beyond at 9J p. M., making fifteen miles, 
the men too weary and foot sore to pitch a shelter to protect 
them from the rain. 

July 9th : We moved to Ringold in ]\Iaryland, wliere we 
remained until the 11th, Avhen at sundown AA^e again took up 



75 

our line of march for tlie Hagerstown pike, following which, 
we arrived at Chewsville ; the regiment camped at 11| p. m. 
and Company A. Avas ordered to advance one mile, and 
picket the road beyond, which order was carried out without 
discovering the enemy, or being molested by him. 

July 12th : Sunday, I was ordered to advance within two 
and a half miles of Hagerstown, and again throw out my 
pickets, in doing which, the enemy's pickets were driven in, 
and we occupied and picketed the road abandoned by them. 
July 13th : By a circuitous route we marched to Boones- 
boro, and joined the army of the Potomac. 

July 14th : Moved towards Hagerstown five miles, when 
we learned Lee had crossed the Potomac. 

July 15th : We went to Hagerstown, where we remained 
in camp until Sunday July 19th, when w^e removed to Green- 
castle. 

July 20th : Ordered to Mercersburg, ten miles west of 
Greencastle, where we arrived at 8 p. m. 

July 21st : We were on the march for Chambersburg, a 
distance of eighteen miles from our camp, where we arrived 
4 p. M., having marched nearly one hundred and fifty miles, 
where we remained until July 31st. 

We left August 1st, and arrived in Philadelphia the same 
day at 8.40 p. m. 

It was my privilege to bring my entire command with me, 
several of whom however, were unhappily very unwell. 

The campaign was an exceedingly arduous one for un- 
trained troops : eleven days we were without regular supplies 
for want of transportation (the country could not furnish 
them,) and for several days the men were without food, 
except the little that could be obtained by them or their 
officers, at most exorbitant prices, say five to eight times its 
value; as a consequence many of them were so exhausted, 
that they threw away their knapsacks and contents, and 
having no transportation, they were abandoned. 



76 

In reporting my command back to you again, allow me to 
hope you will relieve me, and order an election for captain. 
I am general. 

Very respectfully, yours &c., 

A. D. LEVERING,' 
Capt. ComcVcj Co. A. 2d Reg. P. H. a. 
Late Co. A., 2,l8t Reg. P. M. 
August 20th, 1863. 

C. 

Headquarters Company A, 1st Regiment "j 

Artillery, P. H. Gr., > 

Philadelphia, December 29t7i, 1863. j 

Brig.-Gen. a. J. Pleasonton: 

General : — I have the honor to transmit herewith copies 
of the correspondence between the Adjutant General's and 
Quartermaster-General's Departments of the State and my- 
self in reference to the State property issued to my com- 
mand by the State in September, 1862. 

I have also the honor to enclose a copy of my official re- 
turn upon the muster-roll of the battery, of the marches, 
services, &c., of my command while it formed part of the 
army corps of the Susquehanna, and for a portion of the 
time was attached to the army of the Potomac during the 
invasion of the State in the summer of the present year ; 
when the battery were mustered into the United States ser- 
vice, (June 24th, 1863,) and were known in the above army 
corps as "The First Philadelphia Battery Light Artillery." 
I send also a copy of the general order issued by Brig.-Gen. 
Wm. F. Smith, U. S. A., commanding division. 

A pressure of important matters, and delays on the part 
of others have prevented my earlier attention to the above. 
With thanks for the kind appreciation the battery has ever 
received at your hands, I remain. 

Very respectfully, yours, &c., 

HENRY D. LANDIS, 
Capt. 1st Phila. Battery. 



77 

Depaetment Susquehanna, ^ 

Headquarters First Division, > 

July 15th, 1863. J 

Orders : 

The General commanding tlie First Division of tlie Army 
of the Susquehanna desires me to express his appreciation of 
the services rendered by the artillery under his command. 

Under circumstances well calculated to try the courage, 
fortitude and endurance of even old and well-tried soldiers, 
they have borne themselves in a manner demanding great 
praise. Two States, delivered from the hands of the rebels, 
as well as the whole country, will ever hold them in grateful 
remembrance. 

The engagements of " Sporting Hill " and " Carlisle," 
the march over almost impassable roads, the quiet submission 
to the inconveniences arising from the commissary depart- 
ment bear witness to their devotion to the cause in which 
they are engaged. 

CHAS. P. MUHLENBERa, 
1st Lieut. 5t7i Artillery, Chief of Artillery. 
Official Copy: 

Alexander Farnham, 

A. A. A. aenl. 

Philadelphia, January 2>lst, 1863. 
To Hon. A. L. Eussell, 

Adjutant G-eneral of the State, 

Harrisburg, Pa. : 

General : — I have in my possession, as Captain of Com- 
pany A, 1st Regiment Artillery, Philadelphia Home Guard, 
called into service under General Orders No. 32 (Series of 
1862), in September last, for immediate service to repel in- 
vasion, seventy-seven muskets, obtained upon my requisition 
from the State Arsenal in Harrisburg, in exchange for the 
muskets belonging to the City of Philadelphia, which the 



78 

company took up with tliem from this city upon returning 
from Chambersburg, and reporting to you in Harrisburg. 

I was ordered to take transportation to Philadelphia so 
immedia,tely, that no opportunity was afforded of returning 
the State arms and receiving back our own ; and I was con- 
sequently further ordered to retain possession of the former 
till such time as arrangements could be made for the ex- 
change. As we have here no boxes for properly packing the 
muskets, I have the honor to suggest that you direct our 
muskets to be packed and sent to my address at the armory. 
No. 1733 Market street, Philadelphia, and I will then have 
the State muskets repacked in the same boxes and forwarded 
to Harrisburg. If required, any security you may deem ne- 
cessary for the protection of the State's interests will be 
given. 

There are in my possession, furnished at Harrisburg upon 
requisition at the same time with the muskets, and belonging 
also to the State, the following articles, which will be re- 
turned at the same time if you so order, to wit : 

1,000 rounds buck and ball cartridge in the original boxes, 
Six mess kettles. 

The expenses of transportation will, I presume, be borne 
by the State. Please advise me, (at No. 211 Market street,) 
of the shipment of the arms, that arrangements may be 
promptly made to receive them. 

I have the honor to enclose herewith the muster-roll of 
the company in duplicate, receipt of which please acknowl- 
edge. 

With thanks for the attention myself and command re- 
ceived from yourself and your staff during our short cam- 
paign, I desire to express my continued remembrance of your 
kindness. 

Very respectfully, 

HENRY D. LANDIS, 
Oa'pt. Go. A, 1st Regt Artillery, P. II. Gr. 



79 

Headquarters Pennsylvania Militia, '^ 

Adjutant General's Department, V 

Harrisburg, I'ebruary 10th, 1863. j 

Capt. H, D. Landis : 

Sir : — Your letter enclosing muster-roll "was received, and 
roll filed. 

In reply to your proposition to re-exchange the arms now 
in your possession for those left by you, I will state that the 
latter were stored away with the arms of the State in the 
arsenal, and the pile added to as the troops returned and 
deposited theirs, until some thirty thousand were promiscu- 
ously crowded together, all to he recleaned and repaired. 

Under these circumstances it would be difficult to select 
the arms formerly belonging to your company, particularly 
as the arms when cleaned are again promiscuously repacked 
into boxes of twenty each, and would most likely require the 
opening and unpacking of twelve or fifteen hundred boxes to 
enable us to select your guns, even if there was a distinguish- 
ing mark upon them. 

I therefore suggest in view of these difficulties, that you 
retain the arms you have, in lieu of those left in the arsenal, 
as I presume the only difference in the two sets of arms was 
that those you got were clean, and those left wanted clean- 
ing. 

The boxes of ammunition you can also retain for use hj 
the company, in the event of any necessity arising for it. 

The camp kettles belong to the Quartermaster-General's 
Department, and should be sent to Gen. Hale, at this place. 

Very respectfully, &c., 
A. L. RUSSELL, 

Adjutant G-eneral, 
Per D. Warhabaugh, 

Chief Cleric. 



80 

Philadelphia, March 9th, 1863. 
Q. M. Gen. R. C. Hale, Earrisburg, Pa. : 

Sir : — I have in my possession, obtained upon requisition 
upon your department for the use of Co. A, 1st Reg't Artil- 
lery Pennsylvania Home Guard, during the service with the 
Army of Pennsylvania, in September last, six mess kettles. 
These kettles -vvould have been turned in upon the return of 
the company to Harrisburg from Chambersburg, had we not 
arrived at so late an hour in the day and taken transporta- 
tion so immediately for Philadelphia, that under orders from 
the Adjutant-General, all the property of the State in the 
hands of the company was brought here by them. 

I shall be pleased to forward the kettles to your address 
upon receiving instructions so to do, or will make such dispo- 
sition of them as you may direct. Please address me at 
211 Market street. 

Very respectfully, your ob't serv't, 

HENRY D. LANDIS, 
Capt. Co. A, 1st BegH Artillery P. H. G. 

Headquarters Pennsylvania Militia, ^ 
Quartermaster-General's Office, V 

Harrisburg, March 11th, 1863. J 
Captain : — Your favor of 9th is at hand. Your requisi- 
tion, as charged to you for supplies drawn, is 1 knapsack, 
1 haversack, 1 canteen, 6 camp kettles, 12 mess pans. 

Any supplies, in order to be returned, can be shipped by 
the Penna. R. R. 

The United States, it is presumed, will pay for the time 
the men were out, and charge the captains with the supplies 
short, deducting it from the pay. When it will take place I 

am not informed. 

Respectfully, 

R. C. HALE, 
Quartermaster- General. 
By Gibbons. 
Capt. H. D. Landis, 1st Artillery. 



81 

Philadelphia, May 14, 1863. 
Q. M. Gex. K. C. Hale, 

Harrishurg, Pa.: 
, General :— Your favor of March 11th was duly received. 
I have this day shipped to your address by the Penna. E. 
R., (as per slip receipt enclosed,) the following supplies, 
drawn for Company A, 1st Reg't Artillery P. H. G., during 
the service in the Army of Pennsylvania, in September last, 
to wit : 1 knapsack, 1 haversack, 1 canteen, 6 camp kettles, 
12 mess pans, all in good order and condition. Please 
acknowledge the receipt of the articles at your earliest con- 
venience. 

Very respectfully, 

HENRY D. LANDIS, 
Capt. Co. A, 1st llegt Artillery, P. H. a. 
Address 
H. D. Landis, 

211 Market St., Phila. 



Headquarters Pennsylvania Militia, ) 

Quartermaster-General's Ofeice, I 

Harrisburg, 3Iay 23, 1863. j 

Capt. H. D. Landis, 

Qo. A, 1st Beg't Artillery : 

We are to-day in receipt from Pennsylvania Railroad, the 
supplies as stated in yours of the 14th, viz.; 

1 knapsack, 1 haversack, 1 canteen, 6 camp kettles, 12 
mess pans, drawn for Co. A in September last. 
Respectfully yours, 

G. W. GIBBONS, 
A, Q. M. 



82 

To Bkigadier-General A. J. Pleasonton, 

General : — The Battery under my command left Phila- 
delphia June 24th, 1863, and proceeded by the Pennsylvania 
Railroad to Harrisburg, and were stationed in Fort Wash- 
ington, upon the west bank of the Susquehanna. A battery 
of three-inch rifled guns was assigned them, the guns being in 
position upon the platforms. June 30th, a section in com- 
mand of the First Lieutenant, was sent out upon the Harris- 
burg and Carlisle turnpike, to assist General Ewen's brigade, 
(22d and 37th N. Y. S. V.) which had been attacked by the 
rebels with artillery and infantry ; the brigade was found 
engaged at Sporting Hill, about five miles out, and both 
pieces were at once placed in position, and the right piece 
opened fire upon the enemy's battery at a distance of one 
thousand yards, and it was afterwards ascertained eight or 
ten rebels were killed and fifteen or twenty Avounded. 

After shelling the woods, and the rebels having retired, 
the entire brigade withdrew to Oyster Point. July 1st, the 
section marched with the brigade by the turnpike to Carlisle, 
and the guns were placed in position about two and a half 
miles south of the town, upon the Baltimore turnpike. The 
remaining two sections of the battery under command of the 
Captain, also marched July 1st, from Fort Washington to 
Carlisle with a large infantry force, the Avhole under General 
W. T. Smith, U. S. A. and were placed in position in the 
Market Square ; one section commanding the railroad and 
the other the Harrisburg turnpike. About GJ in the evening 
a rebel force of 3,500, mostly cavalry and mounted infantry, 
with a battery of twelve-pounder guns, commenced an attack 
upon the town ; the section upon the Baltimore pike was 
withdraAvn and placed in position at the extreme southern 
end of the town, commanding the approaches from the south 
and southeastward. The rebels in the meantime shelled the 
town and opened with canister from beyond the railroad 
bridge, upon the troops and guns in the square. Three 



83 

shells were fired in reply from one of the guns in this battery 
in the square, when General Smith ordered the firing to 
cease. It was learned subsequently that the first shot killed 
and wounded eight or ten of the rebels, and the second dis- 
mounted one of the guns, at the third shot their battery 
moved out of range. The rebels from their new position 
shelled the town throughout the night. About 3 A. M,, 
July 2d, they fired their last shot and moved ofi" by "way 
of the Baltimore turnpike, taking with them one man 
of this battery, whom they had captured at the Carlisle 
Barracks, where he had been left in charge of spare horses. 
We had four men wounded in the battery, one of whom has 
since died of his wounds, and two horses were killed and 
several disabled, the wheel of a caisson was shattered by a 
shell. July 2d and 3d, the battery remained at Carlisle in 
position commanding several points. July 4th, marched 
through Papertown and Holly Springs to Pine Grove Fur- 
nace, the last nine miles of the march over rough mountain 
roads in a violent storm of wind and rain. July 5th, marched 
two miles to the top of the mountain immediately south of 
Pine Grove Furnace, one section was thrown forward with a 
supporting infantry one and a half mile further, to a cross 
roads within two and a half miles of Bendersville, Adams 
County, and masked in a position commanding the approaches 
from the south, and remained in this position till the next 
morning. The other two sections remained on top of the 
mountain till evening, when they were ordered back to Pine 
Grove, "where they parked for the night. July 6th, these 
two sections advanced to the cross roads and joined the first 
section, when the whole battery took the road to the right, 
leading between Green Ridge and Bear Mountain, and 
marched nine miles to the Conway's Creek, crossing which, 
about a quarter of a mile north of Cole's Lath and Shingle 
Mill, and following the valley of the creek over rough moun- 
tain roads for nine and a half miles further, they parked at 



84 

Kewman's Cut on tlie CliambcrsLurg and Gettysburg turn- 
pike, five and a half miles west of Caslitown, July 7th the 
Lattery marched westward on the Chambersburg and Gettys- 
burg turnpike six miles to Black's Store, then southward 
over a country road seven miles further, to Alto Bale, or 
Funkstown, Pennsylvania, ten miles southeast of Chambers- 
burg, and parked in the woods half a mile east of the town. 
July 8th, Battery ready to march at 5|- A. M. pursuant to 
order. Heavy and continuous rain till 11 A. M., and at 11^ 
ordered to march. Marched soutliAvard over a country road 
eight miles to Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, the whole battery 
"was placed in position upon a hill one mile south of the town, 
commanding the approaches from the southward. July 11th, 
marched at 5 P. M. one and a half mile to East Branch of 
the Little Antietam, the bridge over which had been destroyed 
by the rebels, crossed by a ford at 9 p. M. having been 
delayed several hours by the slow crossing of the infantry. 
Reached Leitersburg, Washington County, Maryland, five 
miles from the Antietam, at 1 a. m., July 12th, and parked. 
Good turnpike from Waynesboro to Leitersburg, road hilly. 
July 12th, 7 A. M., left Leitersburg and marched by country 
road eight miles to Cavetown, passing through Smithsburg. 
July loth, marched by a rough and hilly country road four 
miles and a half to a cross road leading from Westminster 
to Hagerstown, halted till 6 p. m., then marched southward 
over road of same character seven miles, to within one mile 
of Boonesboro, and parked in the woods. July 14th, marched 
-by a cross country road or lane, about three miles in a 
westerly direction, to within about a quarter of a mile of 
the National Road, and parked. Heavy cannonading all the 
afternoon in our front, July 15th, marched by the National 
Road ten miles, to Hagerstown, passing through Funkstown, 
Maryland, passed nearly the whole of the 6th Army Corps 
with their trains, on their march eastward, parked about a 
mile northeast of Hagerstown on the Waynesboro turnpike. 



85 

July IStli, marched by the turnpike to Middleburg Penn- 
sylvania, and thence by rough country road to Greencastle, 
Pennsylvania, in all eleven miles, and parked a half mile 
west of the town^ on the Waynesboro turnpike. - 

July 20th, Exchjinged our guns by order for a battery of 
brass light 12-pounder guns, in charge of Battery B, 5th 
Regular Artillery, Lieutenant Dupont commanding, and 
marched eleven miles by the Brown's Mills road, to Cham- 
bersburg, road tolerable, parked on the Waynesboro turnpike 
one and a half mile southeastwardly from the town. 
July 28th, turned over the battery by order, to the Chester 
County Battery, Captain Guss, marched into the town, and 
at 9 p. M. left in the cars for Harrisburg, reached Harris- 
burg at 5 A. M. July 29th, and at 5f took the cars at the 
Pennsylvania Railroad, and arrived at Philadelphia at 
101 A. M. 

July 30th, Battery mustered out of service. 

Copy of official return on muster roll. 

Very respectfully yours, &c., 

HENRY D. LANDIS, 
Capt. 1st PMlada. Battery, 
Go. A, 1st Reg. Artillery, P. 11. a. 

Extract from the Jteport of Captain Thomas B. Divight an 
Aid-de-camp of the Commander of the Home Cruard, 
serving with Captain H. B. Landis, Battery A, First 
Regiment Artillery, P. S. (J. 

Upon the application of Major-General Couch, command- 
ing the Department of the Susquehanna, to the Mayor of 
Philadelphia for an artillery company to man the guns in 
the earthworks covering Harrisburg, Brigadier-General A. 
J. Pleasonton, commanding the Home Guard, put at the 
disposal of the United States, Battery A, First Regiment 
Artillery of that force, about 5 o'clock, P. M. of Wednesday, 
June 24th, 1863, officered as follows, viz. : Captain Henry 



86 

D. Landis, First Lieutenant Samuel C. Perkins, Second 
Lieutenant Woodruff Jones, and containing 116 men. 

The company left the armory in Market Street near 
Eighteenth Street, about 9 o'clock P. M. on that day, for 
Ilarrisburg, which was reached in a few hours. We slept 
on the floor of the Railroad Depot there till morning. * * 
Within the building, the men were using for the first time 
the facilities for toilet afforded by the slender furnishings of 
their packs, or busied themselves in writing to wives and 
mothers, while waiting for food and for the orders which 
would put them in place at the Fort. 

Orders and breakfast came not far apart. The sordid 
hireling at the depot, who disposes of his eatables to hungry 
travellers, at monopoly prices, refused to make coffee for us, 
because it would not pay him. An humbler victualler, the 
Lot of that Sodom, refused to take one penny, and cheerfully 
presented us with the steaming beverage. Refreshed by his 
kindness, we began at 9 o'clock A. M., a hot march for Fort 
Washington on the opposite side of the Susquehanna river, 
and reached it in little more than an hour. A few moments 
were enough to distribute us by threes into tents pitched on 
a declivity, commandino; the view of Harrisburs; and the 
course of the Susquehanna. We did not inhabit them much, 
however, as the possibility of an attack at any moment com- 
pelled us to continual out-door preparations. Guard duty, 
dragging guns up Avithin the Fort, digging in the trenches, 
and drilling, kept us busy till Saturday evening — when the 
separate rumors of the day began to gather into a conviction 
that the Sabbath would not break without hot and hard work 
to maintain our position. A line of telegraph was stretched 
between the City and the Fort, empty hogsheads were 
brought in, and filled with water from the river by an engine. 
The New York and Pennsylvania Infantry were disposed for 
the emergency, and stringent and appropriate orders were 
issued to the garrison by General Knipe. Through the 



87 

anxious night, we watched and waited, hut the still hours of 
the Sahbath morning came peacefully. * * t- * 

The rest of our stay here was passed on the gun platforms. 
These were depressed from eighteen inches to two feet below 
the rampart, which was constructed of a soil made up of 
equal parts of loam and fragmejits of rock. Had an attack 
been made accompanied with shell, these bits of rock would 
have proved more destructive than volleys of musketry — a 
single shell bursting on any portion of the glacis near the 
gun would have converted hundreds of them into grape and 
canister, and might have disabled an entire gun detachment 
and its infantry supports. 

Immediately from the ditch, the ground inclined gently to 
the Carlisle turnpike road. It had been cleared to obtain 
materials for the ramparts, but clumps of bushes were left in 
every direction capable of being used as coverts for sharp- 
shooters and skirmishers, about a mile away towards Carlisle 
and on the west side of the road, the ground was higher than 
the Fort. This had been partially intrenched, but not 
enough for effectiveness. 

In the rear of the Fort, the bridge had been cut, and 
arrangements had been made to drop a span on the appear- 
ance of the Rebels. Had they assailed in force and gained 
the high ground in front, with their gu7is in battery on it., 
with the bridges behind us cut, with all the opportunities for 
riflemen afforded by the vicinage, together with the adjuncts 
of slaughter, sown through the body of the parapet in the 
shapes of s?nall stones and fragments of rook, the tale brought 
from the scene, would have been a short narrative of our 
simple annals ! During Monday afternoon, such thoughts 
were not strangers in the breasts of many silent men, as they 
heard the enemy's guns at work a few miles distant ; but 
through a kind Providence, the apprehensions were not 
realized. 

The preceding Sabbath noon. Captain Landis received 



88 

orders to send out a section of tTie battery on a reconnoissance, 
and he detailed First Lieutenant Perkins to take command 
of it. He manned his guns with zealous volunteers, and had 
made all his preparations to leave the Fort, when the order 
"was countermanded. On Tuesday afternoon, however, as 
the advance of the enemy operating in the valley under 
Ewell pressed our forces back so vigorously that they re- 
quired the support of artillery, this section was again ordered 
to the front, and at 4 o'clock P. M., moved out taking the 
Carlisle pike, for four miles to Sporting Hill. Finding the 
enemy in force, and disposed to press forward, Lieutenant 
Perkins unlimbered his guns within a corn-field and opened 
his fire with shell. The enemy replied,- but being unable to 
silence Perkins' fire, he concluded to reverse his line of pro- 
gress and fall back towards Ewell's main column at Carlisle. 
It is believed that Lee's troops never came north of the 
scene of this action, except as prisoners. The enemy com- 
pelled to unite with the other corps of the Kebel Army by 
the events gathering head at Gettysburg, moved rapidly 
from the valley. General Ewen of New York, with his 
troops and Perkins' guns followed on to Carlisle, and took 
position during the bombardment of that place at the south- 
eastern end of Hanover Street, rejoining us afterwards on 
Thursday at the Barracks' ruins. 

Ewell's retirement from the valley having been detected 
by General Couch, a column was immediately set in motion 
from Harrisburg. Early on Wednesday morning, July 1st, 
the remainder of our battery left the slaughter-pen. We 
were ordered to move in light marching order with two days' 
rations, and, therefore, took each a great coat, a woolen and 
an India rubber blanket, a haversack, a canteen, and eating 
utensils only; about half a mile from the Fort, the Blue and 
Grey Reserves, together with a New York regiment, de- 
bouched into the turnpike, the whole under the command of 
Colonel Brisbane. The uniform appearance of the infantry, 



89 

their firm marcliing, the sparkling waver of the prickly 
ohlong of bayonets, and the array of the artillery column 
were mutually inspiring. As the day wore, however, the heat 
grew intense, and the infantry, packed more heavily than 
we, began to straggle, so that at the dinner halt, after a 
tramp of thirteen miles, we had outmarched the rest of the 
brigade. 

Our halt was ended by the up-dashing of a staff officer, 
with orders to move at speed to Carlisle. An hour's jolting 
ride between fields of grain yellowing in the afternoon's sun, 
brought us into the square at Carlisle, near 5| o'clock P. M. 
The inhabitants gathered in mass to welcome us, with cheers, 
and better still Avith a bountiful supply of bread and meat. 
Supper ended, we returned to our guns, which had been 
halted on both sides of the street in front of the Court 
House, just as Greneral Wm. F. Smith at the head of several 
infantry regiments entered the town. The people, tossed, 
afflicted, despoiled by the Rebels, for several days, greeted 
the new accession of force, with an enthusiasm rarely ac- 
corded to deliverers, and at once absorbed themselves in 
satisfying the hunger of the weary troops. It was a busy 
scene. Knots of citizens were gathered on the pavements ; 
a group of men by the Court House furnished with muskets 
and cartridge boxes were receiving directions from a brave- 
hearted leader ; little children were cheerily making their 
way to see the novel doings ; the ladies bright with patriotism 
and goodwill were telling their voracious guests of recent 
humiliations and losses. The artillery and tripods of stacked 
arms, skirted the roadway of intersecting streets. " The 
evening star was beginning to infold the day within the doors 
of the west," and all were yielding to the genial influences 
of the hour, when like a meteor, the cry rose sharply clear, 
that the Rebels were on us. The mingled mass of living 
things began to arrange itself instantly — women hurried to 
their homes, soldiers rushed to their muskets, children ran 



90 

aimlessly in haste and terror, cavalry dashed up and down, 
a few of the brave spirits at the Court House, rallied by their 
commander, the rest "folded their tents like the Arabs, and 
silently slunk away." Two guns were soon put in position 
to sweep the eastern limits of the Railroad street where 
Rebel cavalry could be seen galloping. Two more were 
similarly placed to command the street by which the govern- 
ment forces had entered ; the remaining section under Lieu- 
tenant Perkins was stationed as already described ; and the 
infantry were posted along the streets, and inside the houses 
to support and protect the artillerists. 

Meanwhile, the Rebels consisting of Gen. J. E. B. Stuart's 
cavalry corps, which had been cut off for nearly two weeks 
from all communication with Lee, had marched around the 
Federal army, through York county, and numbering, as is 
believed, near five thousand men with eight cannon, had ar- 
ranged their pieces curving around one side of the town, and 
"were concentrating shell and canister into the square. Stuart 
and his subalterns were no strangers here ; some of them had 
long fed on the bounty of the United States at the barracks, 
and were well acquainted with the topography of the neigh- 
borhood. Two of their guns unlimbered by the side of the 
Railroad street at about thirteen hundred yards from the 
square, and at about eight hundred yards from the outskirts 
were soon compelled to withdraAv and to interpose the houses 
between us. From this new position they could still drop shells 
as before, while we to clear the houses, had to elevate our 
guns at such an angle as to throAV our shot a mile and a half 
to their rear — our fire therefore soon ceased, but while twi- 
light lasted an unremitting discharge was maintained against 
us — a flash would light up the air, but before the report 
would reach us, the shell w^ould scream past, or bursting ear- 
lier in the flight would hurtle its fragments about our ears. 
At length there was a lull in the pastime — a mounted man 
bearing a rag at the end of a switch, and attended by, we know 



91 

not whom, was led 7iot blindfolded past our guns along by 
tlie files of infantry, through the town to Greneral Smith's 
headquarters ; and then after demanding a surrender was 
led back through the town by the same route, and sent on 
his way rejoicing. On his return to Ms commander, he could 
not have been a more welcome messenger, had he brought an 
autograph letter from G-en. Smith, minutely detailing the 
situation, strength and composition of his troops! It was 
soon whispered that our General had refused to surrender 
till the last drop of blood was shed ! It was a gallant answer 
and fit to come from the man who had ridden alone down the 
perilous street to note the rebel dispositions, and it was a 
grateful one to be transmitted through an applauding press 
to a watching nation, but to us who knew what the swarms 
of vengeful men yonder were gathering up in our behalf, it 
was only an inevitable necessity. So we dressed ourselves 
with passive enduring patience " for the jet of smoke — the 
flash — the short, momentous interval — and then — happily 
and most often, the twang thro' the air above, and the wel- 
come sound" of the shell rending in the rear — as an addi- 
tional demand on our fortitude, cloudmasses of smoke began 
to lift away toward the east, and the flames of burning 
buildings and lumber to make the evening air ruddy and 
to define the cluster of steeples about the square in clear 
outline. By these the range of us was quickly gotten and 
for Avatchful hours " sometimes the missiles came singly and 
" sometimes in so thick a flight that several would be explod- 
" ing nearly at the same moment, or briskly one after the 
"other, right and left and all around. The fragments of 
"the shells, when they burst, tore their shrill way down from 
" above, harshly sawing the air, and when the novice heard 
"the rush of the shattered missile along his right ear, and 
"then along his left, and imagining that he felt the wind of 
" another fragment of shell rasping the cloth on his shoulders 
" almost at the same moment, it seemed to him hardly pos- 



92 

" sMe, that the iron shower woukl leave one man untouched. 
"But the truth is, that a fragment of shell may seem much 
"nearer than it is" — not more than forty soldiers were 
"wounded. 

In the midst of these kindly manifestations from our 
Southern brethren, the section that had been more di- 
rectly exposed in the Railroad street for about an hour was 
retired a short distance into Hanover street. The danger 
was probably lessened by the change, but the chief benefit 
consisted in lessening the strain of thought and of feeling so 
involuntary while stationed inactive in the more immediate 
line of fire. In many instances, such were the efi"ects of 
fatigue and powerful excitement, that many fell asleep before 
the bombardment ceased — our sleep was disturbed about 3 
o'clock on Thursday morning, when a souvenir shell des- 
cribed an arc across the heavens — our "brothers" had 
bidden us farewell. The forces w^ho held Carlisle that mem- 
orable evening might have reason to congratulate themselves 
upon having rendered a most important service — no man 
may describe the unutterable desires with which Lee longed 
for his cavalry from the time, when Longstreet's corps dis- 
appeared within the passes of the Blue Ridge eii route for 
the Shenandoah valley through the fords of the Potomac. 
During this interval the Federal army was moving straight 
northward to tap the Cumberland valley, at the Mount Holly 
pass where they would have been in the Rebel rear, had Lee 
concentrated his troops for a movement on Harrisburg, and 
he was compelled to remain ignorant of everything except 
his opponent's designs. Into these, he penetrated enough, to 
call in his forces for a rendezvous at Gettysburg, where he 
hoped to vanquish opposition. But his yearned-for cavalry 
was still away, and were detained before Carlisle so long that 
they failed to rejoin their comrades till the third days' fight. 
Had the union been effected twelve hours earlier, the results 
at Gettysburg might have been against us. 



93 

The principcal damage at Carlisle was inflicted on the 
houses, great numbers of Tvhich were pierced with shell, 
sadly interfering with the household economy within. Sev- 
eral of the Reserves and of the New York troops were hit 
while lying on the pavement. Of the battery, Corporal 
Patterson, chief of piece No. 4, was hit by a minnie ball and 
soon after by a shell stripping off tlie fingers of his right 
hand; allowing nothing to escape him to signify his condition 
to his men, he dismounted, left the piece in charge of the 
gunner and walked to the hospital at the college. Private 
Scott was hit in the temple by a fine splinter of iron, in- 
ducing a painful wound, which ended his life near the close 
of summer. One or two horses were killed, another was dis- 
abled, a few of the company and some horses received flesh 
wounds and a caisson wheel was shattered. These were our 
casualties. When it is remembered, that the enemy's artil- 
lery opened without warning into a square crowded with un- 
armed citizens, women, children, soldiers and horses, it was 
surely providential that not more than two, as it is believed 
were fatally wounded. The Rebels so far as is known, lost 
nine killed and fifty-two wounded by the battery. * * * 



The folloiving are copies of receipts given for maps of the 
Susquehanna river and other information furyiished to 
3Iajor Gieneral D. N. Couch, marked D. 

Headquaeters, Dep't of the Susquehanna, 
June 2Zrd, 1863. 

Received from Brigadier-General A. J. Pleasonton, by 
the hands of Captain Horace Moses, certain extracts from 
the report of the military reconnoissance of the country lying 
between the Susquehanna river from the mouth of the 
Juniata river to the Chesapeake, &c., and the accompanying 
map from " Codorus's creek down to Peach Bottom in York 



94 

Co." To bo retunied when not required for the use of the 
Major-General commanding. 

ROBERT LE ROY, 
Captain and A. A. S. 

Received of Brigadier-General A. J. Pleasonton command- 
ing Defences of Philadelphia, through Horace Moses, Sheets 
Nos. 1 and 2 of a map of the Susquehanna river from Dun- 
can's Island to Columbia, also a county map showing the 
roads from Philadelphia to Harrisburg and beyond to Cum- 
berland valley. These maps to be returned to General 
Pleasonton when no longer required by Major-General 
Couch, commanding the Department of the Susquehanna. 

JOHN S. SHULTZE, 

Major and A. A. Gr. 



Headquarters Dep't of Susquehanna, 
Sarrishurg, July 1st, 1863. 

Received from Brigadier-General A. J. Pleasonton com- 
manding the Home Guard of the City of Philadelphia, Sheets 
Nos. 3 and 4 of the map of the Susequehanna river from 
Columbia to Havre de Grace, to be returned to General 
Pleasonton when no longer required by the Major-General 
commanding the Department of the Susquehanna. 

JOHN S. SHULTZE, 
Major and A. A. Cr. 

Received of Brigadier-General A. J. Pleasonton, command- 
ing the Philadephia Home Guard, by the hands of Horace 
Moses, two maps showing "Bald Friar" and " Peach Bot- 
tom " fords on the Susquehanna river. These maps to be 
returned to General Pleasonton when no longer required by 



95 

the Major-General commanding the Department of the Sus- 
quehanna. 

D. N. COUCH, 
Major- Creyieral. 
ffarrisburg, July Sth, 1863. 

E. 

Headquarters Defences of Philadelphia, 
June 23c?, 1863. 
To Col. Geo. H. Crossman, 

Assis't. Quartermaster- Gf en. U. S. Army, Pliila. 
Colonel : Be pleased to furnish me with a list of articles 
necessary for a force of 10,000 men, to take the field imme- 
diately, as allowed by the regulations of the army to be 
issued by your Department. 

Caps, blouses, and trowsers to be used instead of the usual 
allowance of clothing. 

The prices paid by the United States and the names of 
contractors and their addresses who can furnish said articles 
are also desired to be known. 

The information is desired for the authorities of this City, 
who have in contemplation the employment of such a force 
" for the preservation of the public peace and the defence of 
" the City." 

I am very respectfully, your obed't serv't, 

A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brig.-G-en. Commanding in PJdlada. 

Headquaeters, Defences of Philadelphia, 

June 23c?, 1863. 
To Captain Back, 

Commissary of Subsistence, U. S. A., Pliila. 

Captain : Will you do me the favor to furnish me at your 
earliest convenience, with an estimate of the cost for the sub- 



96 

sistence of a force of 10,000 men, organized into companies 
and regiments of cavalry, and infantry, with tlie due propor- 
tion of batteries of artillery, according to the regulations of 
the Army of the United States, for four months, specifying 
the quantity in bulk or in number of rations, or both per 
month ? also the modes of delivery to troops in service, and 
the means and cost of transportation thereof when accompa- 
nying the troops in the field ? 

This information is desired for the authorities of this City, 
who have in contemplation the employment of such a force 
" for the preservation of the public peace and the defence 
" of the City." 

I am, very respectfully, your obcd't serv't, 

A. J. PLEASONTON, 
Brig.-G-en. Qommandmg in PJdlada. 

A similar request was presented to Surgeon John Neill, 
Assistant Surgeon-General and Medical Director of this 
force, and in charge of the U. S. Hospital at the corner of 
Broad and Cherry streets, for information as to medical and 
surgical supplies, ambulances, &c., for such a force, who 
promptly and kindly furnished it, as fully as desired. 

F. 

Correspondence ivith Commodore C. K. Striblvng, TJ. S. 
Navy^ Commanding Naval Station at Pliiladel2:)Jiia. 

Headquartees, Defences oe Philadelphia, 

June QOth, 1863. 
To Commodore C. K. Stribling, • 

Commanding Navy Yard, PJdlada. 
Sir : Will you have the kindness to furnish me with a list 
of the number of guns you can give for the intrenchments 
about to be thrown up for the defence of the City of Phila- 



97 

delphia — stating the number of guns with carriages com- 
plete, their calibres and description, the number of rounds of 
ammunition per gun, how soon they can be ready, with the 
number of men you can spare to serve them ; also, how 
many guns without carriages, together with any other infor- 
mation that may be useful for the defence of the City ? 
I am very respectfully. 

Your obedient servant, 

A. J. PLEASONTON. 
Brig.-G-en. Commanding, ^c. 

To which I received the following reply, with the accom- 
panying report of the Assistant Inspector of Ordnance in 
charge, Lieut. Wm. JST. Jeffre : 

Philadelphia Navy Yard, 
Ord. Dept. June SOth, 1863. 
Sir : I have to report that there are available at this 
yard, not required for immediate service, and all ready, 

(10) Ten eight-inch guns of 63 cwt., with carriages, 
equipments, and (500) five hundred rounds of ammunition 
for each — shot, shell, grape, and canister. 

(10) Ten 32-pounders, of 57 cwt., with carriages and 
equipments complete, with 1000 rounds of ammunition for 
each — shot, shell, grape, and canister. 

Each gun will require 14 men to work it efficiently. 
I am, very respectfully, your obed't serv't 

WILLIAM N. JEFFRE, 
Assist. Inspector of Ordnance in Charge. 
Commodore C. K. Stribling, 

Commandant U. S. Navy Yard, Philada. 

General : I have received your letter of this date. The 
enclosed report shows the number of guns we have ready for 
immediate service, carriages, ammunition, &c., complete. 



98 

The powder is in the magazine and can be here in two 
hours (by the time the guns are mounted). We have a 
number of 11 and 13-inch shell guns, but no carriages ready 
for them. 

We cannot supply any men for the guns as we require the 
few men we have to man our guns on board ship. Commo- 
dore Engle has some fifty old seamen, who would do good 
service with the guns. 

If I can in any way assist in the defence of the City, I 
hope you will let me know promptly. 

Respectfully, &c., 
Commandant's Office, C. K. STRIBLING, 

jSTavy Yard, Philada. Commandant. 

Brig.-Gejst. J. A. Pleasonton, &c., &c., 

Philadelphia. 

G. 

It being necessary to ascertain all the resources of the 
City for its defence, on the 30th of June, I addressed the 
following letter to the Presidents of the several Passenger 
Railroad Companies of the City : 

Headquarters, Defences of Philadelphia, 

June SOth, 1863. 

Gentlemen : It is in contemplation to organize a cavalry 
force of some 2000 men for the defence of the City, to be 
paid, supplied and subsisted by the City of Philadelphia, ac- 
cording to the regulations of the army of the United States. 

Can the Passenger Railroad Companies furnish horses for 
that number of men, suitable for the service ? 

The U. S. allowance is understood to be 45 cents per day 
for the use of each horse. The City would pay the U. S. 
allowance. The horses would be rationed by the City or the 
U. S., and would before being mustered, be appraised ac- 
cording to the directions of the army regulations. If lost 



99 

in service or damaged, the loss or damage would be paid by 
the City, not exceeding the appraised value of each horse. 
The horses when mustered, would pass out of the control of 
the companies and into that of the City or U. S., and would 
so continue during the emergency. 

The City, while the cavalry is kept here, would be dis- 
posed to take the forage the companies may have on hand at 
cost prices, not to exceed the prices paid therefor by the 
Government of the United States, and to keep the horses in 
the companies' stables. 

How many horses can each company furnish ? and how 
many can be quartered in their respective stables ? It may 
become a military necessity to take the horses without con- 
sulting the companies, and thus interrupt all their business. 
.The foregoing proposition is suggested to obviate all incon- 
venience that might arise from another course of action. 
Very respectfully, your obed't serv't, 

A. J. PLBASONTON, 
Brig.-Cren. Commanding. 

To which the following reply was received : * 

Philadelphia, July 1st, 1863. 
General A. J. Pleasoa^ton, 

Sir : The Board of Presidents of the City Passenger 
Railway Companies, have received your communication of 
the 30th ulto., and have referred the same to a special com- 
mittee, who will call on you at your headquarters to-morrow 
(Thursday) at 12 o'clock. Meantime, the committee request 
me to suggest to you that the proposition for the railway 
companies to furnish two thousand cavalry horses seems to 
them entirely impracticable, unless the running of all the 
roads in the city were discontinued. The total nimiber of 
horses owned by the railway corporations of our City does 
not exceed twenty-two hundred, all of which are in use, and 
of these not a third are suitable for cavalry purposes. 



100 

Whilst the Board of President's are extremely desirous to 
forward any and every movement which may be designed for 
the defence of our City or State, they are unable to see any 
mode by which they can assist in this branch of the opera- 
tions now going on, except by the purchase of the stock, 
which your communication contemplates. 

•Very respectfully, &c., 

J. R. FLANIGEN, 

Chairman Committee. 

Hbadquakters, Defences of Philadelphia, 

Juhj 1th, 1863. 
To Brig.- Gen. Lorenzo Thomas, 

Adft.-G-en. U. S. A. Washington City, D. C. 

General : The cheering new swe have of the recent ope- 
rations of the Army of the Potomac, induces me to ask 
your attention for a few moments to a matter of personal 
interest to myself, as well as of public concern. 

In a conversation that I held with you on the 29th ulto. 
in the vestibule of the Union League building of this City, 
I informed you of my official position here in command of 
the defences of Philadelphia under an act of the Legisla- 
ture of Pennsylvania, and the requirement of the Hon. 
Alexander Henry, Mayor of the City ; and I suggested to 
you, that as this city was seriously threatened by a large 
rebel force then in the Cumberland Valley, that for its 
defence a force of 40,000 men should be at once raised from 
its residents, to aid therein, under the direction of the gen- 
eral officers of the United States, who had been assigned to 
the command of the Department of the Susquehanna and of 
this City ; and that it seemed to me that my services would 
be more efficient in the performance of the duties entrusted 
to me if I should be brought into more intimate relations 
with Major-General Dana commanding in this City, to which 
you replied, " certainly — by all means — go at once to Gen- 



101 

" era! Dana and say to him from me, to muster you at once 
" into service ; I am invested Avith full powers relative to the 
" defences of Pennsylvania, and I desire him to do it ; I am 
" going this afternoon to Harrisburg, and I have not time to 
" issue an order in writing, but deliver my message to Gen- 
" eral Dana and he will muster you at once into service." 
After which I left you and went at once to General Dana, 
delivering to him your message. General Dana remarked 
" That if General Thomas would write with a lead-pencil 
" what he had said in his message, that he would comply 
" with it forthwith, but otherwise he could not do so, as 
" General Thomas might die, and then he would have no 
" memorandum at all of the order." I thereupon repaired 
to the depot of the Reading Railroad Company to have an 
interview Avith you before your departure for Harrisburg and 
to deliver General Dana's message. You had already taken 
your seat in the car, and on my explaining to you General 
Dana's objections, you asked one of your staff for a pencil 
and signed the written order to General Dana, to muster me 
into the United States service, as folloivs, viz. : 

Philadelphia, June 2dth, 1863. 
To Major-General Dana, 

Commanding at Philadelphia. 
General : You will muster into the service of the United 
States forthwith, Brigadier-General A. J. Pleasonton, of the 
Volunteer Militia of Pennsylvania, commanding the Home 
Guard of the City of Philadelphia, who will assist you in 
the organization and command of the troops to be raised for 
the defence of the City. 

L. THOMAS. 

A. a. 

I handed this order about 4 o'clock, P. M., on the 29th 
ult., to Major-General Dana, who after some conversation 



102 

accepted it and said that he would publish an order in the 
newspapers the next morning announcing ray assignment 
to duty under this order of Gen. Thomas ; at the same time 
he gave me some verbal orders as to what I should do re- 
garding the organization of the force, &c. 

On the next day, the 30th ult., having some information 
to communicate to General Dana, I called upon him at his 
headquarters, when he informed me that he had not issued 
the order relative to my muster in consequence of some tele- 
grams he had received from Harrisburg, and vfhich he then 
handed to me to read, and allowed me to have copied. They 
are as follows, viz. : 

Harrisburg, June 29th, 1863. 
Major-General Dana, 

Philadelphia. 
Have you placed General Pleasonton in command of the 
militia of Philadelphia ? 

D. N. COUCH, 
31a j or- Grenera I. 

Earrishurg, June SOth, 1863. 
To General Dana, 

Commanding at Philadelphia. 
All Generals of the force now being raised will be assigned 
by the War Department. 

None will be mustered into service — General Pleasonton' s 
appointment therefore is revoked. 

L. THOMAS, 
Adjutant Cf-eneral. 

I have been informed since by General Dana, that " this 
" action has been taken in consequence of violent opposition 
"having been manifested to it by some persons calling them- 
" selves officers of an ' (inchoate) ' association, which they 
"called the Second Regiment of the Grey Reserves," (al- 



103 

though at the time there was no such recognized military 
organization here) "as well as by some citizens" (who fancied 
themselves to be the personification of 650,000 people, who 
compose the inhabitants of this city and in whose names they 
gave utterance to their opposition.) 

I have also been informed that a written protest against 
the appointment, was forwarded by some parties here to you 
while at Harrisburg, which resulted in its revocation. 

The object of this letter, is to request that you will furnish 
me with the information you possess on this subject, together 
with a copy of the protests (if any) with the names of the 
signers thereto. 

I request this in the name of our 'common alma mater 
whose children by the casualties of war, are fast disappear- 
ing, in justice to myself, which no chivalric soldier will deny 
and as due to the City of Philadelphia, and State of Penn- 
sylvania by whose authority I perform my present functions. 
I remain Greneral, with great regard. 
Yours, very truly, 

A. J. PLEASONTON, 

Brigadier- Greneral Commanding. 

(H) 

War Department Adjutant-General's Oeeice, 
Washington, July 18th, 1863. 
To BRia.-GEN. A. J. Pleasonton, 

Philadelphia, Pa. 
Sir: Your communication of the 7th inst., in reference to 
the revocation of an order from the Adjutant-General for your 
muster into service by the U. S. Mustering Officer in Phila- 
delphia, addressed to General L. Thomas has been received, 
but no paper having been received in this office relating to 
the matter, a reply was delayed until General Thomas should 
return. The time of his return is remote, and I have now 



104 

to inform you that there is no correspondence in this office 
to throw any light on the subject. 

I am Sir, very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

E. D. TOWNSEND, 
Assistant Adjutant- General. 

Note. — Subsequently, another letter was addressed to 
Adjutant-General .Thomas, at the Astor House, New York, 
where he was advertised to be on this subject, but no answer 
was received from him at this date. 

(I) 

Dr. and Cr. account for 1863 is contained in the body of 
the report. 

(K) 
Inventory of military property of the city, has been sent 
to the Mayor, and it is not necessary to print it herein. 

Inventory of ordnance and ordnance stores, &c., issued to 
Captain Matthew Hastings, Battery B, 1st Begiment of 
Artillery, P. H. S., on going into active service in August, 
1862, has also been sent to the Mayor, together with a list 
of the articles returned by him and of the damaged or miss- 
ing articles, which it is not deemed necessary to print herein. 

(M) 

Copies of telegrams to Professor A. D. Baehe, relative to the 
erection of fortifications to cover Philadelphia : 

Philadelphia, Pa., June 2Gth, 1863. 
PuoFESSOR A. D. Bache, 

Washington, D. C. 
Governor Curtin on your offer now invites you to examine 
the ground about Philadelphia. 

B. GERHARD. 



105 

Headquaeters, PJdladelphia, Pa., 
June 2Qth, 1863. 
To Peoeessor a. D. Bache, 

Sup^t U. S. Coast Survey Washington, P. 0. 
I am advised bj some of your friends here, of your oifer 
to make a reconnoissance for the construction of defensive 
works at this place. We have no engineer and your aid 
would be invaluable, if you are still able to renew your kind 
oifer and could come on at once with such of joiir corps as 
you can bring. 

N. J. T. DANA, 
Major- Creneral Commanding. 

PhiladelpJiia, Pa., Pecemher 4:t7i, 1863. 
Dear Sir : I return to you with thanks " The Eeport of 
" the military reconnoissance of the Susquehanna river and 
" of the country comprised within the river part of the 
" Chesapeake shore, the Chesapeake and Delaware canal and 
" a line drawn from Harrisburg to Philadelphia, made in 
" 1861, by C. M. Eakin, Esq. 

Yours, respectfully, 

A. D. BACHE, 
Strickland Kneass, Esq., 

Citt/ Solicitor, PhiladelpJiia, Pa. 

Department of Surveys, 
Office of Chief Engineer and Surveyor. 
Philadelphia, Pece^nber 5th, 1863. 
General A. J. Pleasonton, 

My' Dear Sir : I here-with hand you the report of Col. C. 
M. Eakin, which I obtained through Col. Bradford last sum- 
mer for the use of Professor Bache. I also send the note of 
Professor Bache just received. 

Very respectfully, 

STRICKLAND KNEASS. 



106 

Coast Sukvet Office, 
February Ath, 1864. 
Dear Sie : At your request, I submit a short narrative 
of the matter relating to fortifications during and after the 
raid of the rebel army of General Lee last summer, and will 
be happy if it be shown to General Pleasonton, should you 
judge proper. 

In the middle of June, in passing through Philadelphia, it 
was easy to see by the indications in the streets, the closed 
stores, the sounding of the State House bell, the anxiety at 
the Club House of the Loyal League, and the general 
excitement of the citizens, tliat danger was judged to be 
impending and that efforts were making to prevent the antici- 
pated disasters of the invasion of General Lee. I was then 
on my way with the Mayor and certain officers of the Boston 
municipality to confer with the U. S. Commissioners who 
have charge of matters relating to Boston Harbor under the 
municipality and State, and by permission of the United 
States. 

Before leaving Philadelphia for Washington, I volunteered 
through Benjamin Gerhard, Esq., to the Governor of the 
State of Pennsylvania, to serve in any capacity as aid in 
military affairs, if permission were obtained from the Treas- 
ury Department ; and while in Washington I obtained the 
approval of such a course. Returning to the geodetic sta- 
tion which my assistant and party were occupying in Con- 
necticut, Ivy Station, near Wolcotville, and understanding 
that there was no call for my services, I gave myself to my 
regular duties. 

On the 26th, a telegraph message from the Coast Survey 
office was brought to my camp, to say that the Governor de- 
sired my services, and subsequently one from Major-General 
Dana whom I knew to be in command of the post of Phila- 
delphia, urging me in very strong terms to come on immedi- 
ately, "to make reconnoissance for the construction of 



107 

"defensive works at this place," " "We liave no engineer," 
adds General Dana, " and your aid would be invaluable." 

I immediately prepared to leave Ivy Station by the first 
train after the message was received. I arrived in Phila- 
delphia on the evening of the 27th of June. I sent at once 
to ascertain if it would be agreeable for General Dana to 
receive me that evening, and received for reply his wish that 
I would await him at my quarters. I had the pleasure of a 
confidential interview with General Dana, and resetted 
extremely to find that the preparations of the City for de- 
fences were yet to be made ; that troops had been hurried 
forward to Harrisburg, but that the number which remained 
was uncertain ; that the interval between my former presence 
in the City and that date which would have been precious, 
was lost without preparation for fortifying ; that I could not 
even ascertain how many guns and what amount of ammuni- 
tion were disposable, or might be borrowed for defence. In 
fact, when I asked myself at the close of the conversation 
with General Dana, why I had been called to Philadelphia, 
the conclusion came, that in the want of preparation, it 
might be, as a Philadelphian born and bred, and educated at 
West Point as an engineer officer, to advise in regard to the 
surrender of the City on the approach of the enemy ; but 
that I could hardly do more. Still, I was urged to prepare 
works of fortification, and means were assigned for recon- 
noissance and for erecting works, and it was urged upon me 
that the citizens would derive some hope from seeing at least 
a beginning of a system of defence. 

By the kindness of General Pleasonton and through the 
City Surveyor, Strickland Kneass, Esq., I had been fur- 
nished with the reconnoissance made by Col. C. M. Eakin in 
1861, between Harrisburg and the Susquehanna and the 
City of Philadelphia. This marked decidedly for a raid in 
advance of Lee's army, the route by the Pennsylvania Rail- 
road or the old Lancaster turnpike. 



108 

Volunteers, as engineers, were accepted at headquarters 
and organized for reconnoissance. The engineers of the U. 
S. Coast Survey who were available were collected and 
ordered to begin their work under the immediate direction 
of the Superintendent, and the engineers and sub-engineers 
of railroads, volunteered in considerable number under the 
authorities of the companies. The Mayor of the City com- 
municated through the Major-General, that he was most, 
anxious to begin work with laborers from the City highways 
and in general under the department of highways. The 
Superintendent of the City Gas Works, and Messrs. Mer- 
rick & Son, and Morris & Tasker offered the services of 
their workmen. A fort was commenced beyond Hestonville 
in a remarkable locality, commanding the old Lancaster 
turnpike, the Pennsylvania Railroad, and bridges near, and 
the ravines and places of shelter for troops about five miles 
from the State House. 

This was placed under the charge of. Assistant Boutelle, 
of the Coast Survey, and the men were of Merrick & Son's 
establishment, who were organized as a militia company 
under the charge of a captain and supervision of John V. 
Merrick, Esq., besides a detail from the Highway Depart- 
ment under their Supervisor. 

A reconnoissance for a line of works some five miles from 
the City was begun by Assistant H. L. Whiting, of the 
Coast Survey, extending to the Baltimore road southward, 
and to the Valley and Schuylkill near Conshohocken, north- 
ward. I reconnoitercd in person, assisted by Professor 
Frazier, a line up the Wissahickon, and Assistant Davidson, 
one across from Gerraantown and Frankford to the Delaware. 

The bridges of the Schuylkill were all examined and 
reported upon by engineers of experience and ability to 
report in regard to steps which might be taken between the 
Delaware front south of Fort Mifilin and below Norristown 
on the Schuylkill. The approaches to the roads which 



109 

flanked certain of the water structures and of the railroads 
entering into the City were examined, and what were in- 
tended for small works of preparation commanding bridges 
and other important points were made near Gray's Ferry 
and Market street and near the City water works. It was 
proposed by the clergy to begin some of these works, when 
from General Meade's lines, the glorious news came of suc- 
cessful resistance and of the breaking of the enemy's 
columns. The stories brought from the battle field of Get- 
tysburg, from Carlisle, &c., were no doubt very erroneous, 
but gave us comfort and satisfaction. 

One of the first small works erected was on the Rido-e 
Road, at the entrance of School House Lane, and the only 
one which received a name (Fort Dana) at seven miles from 
the City. 

This required defilading, and was constructed during his 
reconnoissance and other labors, by Assistant Davidson. 
The workmen were from the Gas Works, under the supervision 
of their own foremen, Mr. Hyatt and Mr. Massey, and 
often encouraged by the engineer of the works and by Mr. 
Frederick Fraley. This was the work which cost the least 
in proportion to its size, and was most rapidly run up. It is 
not proper to give its connections with the subsidiary works 
towards the river and on the hills near the houses of Messrs. 
Powers & Weightman, whose liberal action throughout tire 
construction of the works and before and since, has been of 
the most marked character. The valuable property, most of 
it contraband of war, which was saved to them, has made 
that instance a peculiar one. I do not know that this prop- 
erty would have been materially affected by the arrangements 
which at one time seemed inevitable, but I believe that mate- 
rial relief was given to these excellent citizens by the advice 
which allayed the apprehensions and' indicated perhaps a 
, safe mode of operation in case the war went against us. 

The men at all these works were in readiness, had arms 



no 

been furnished, to do their best for the City defences, as a 
nucleus. 

The fort at Gray's Ferry was located so as to command 
the Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad, Gray's Ferry 
bridge, and to connect with the defences of Darby Road. 
The workmen not being employed on the junction railroad, 
no notice was given to the engineers or their assistants until 
the alarm had subsided. 

The small batteries which commanded the Pennsylvania 
Railroad bridge, the Market Street Bridge, the supply of 
water, and other points which would otherwise have been 
flanked along the line of the river and the roads leading to 
them, became quite unpopular from the exaggerated idea of 
the artillery which the enemy carried, but which was not 
drawn from reality in regard to the field artillery most likely 
to be used by a daring leader in making a raid. I had taken 
special pains to know from one of the best military engi- 
neers the country affords, what I might expect in case 
artillery, infantry, and cavalry advanced upon the City 
environs or upon the City itself, and was made sure that the 
calibre of the guns would not exceed twelve-pound Napoleons 
or ten-pound rifled Parrots ! It was wonderful to see how 
rapidly these works became unpopular, notwithstanding the 
end which they had served, and would have served had 
danger pressed. The delays of the season, work being first 
impeded by rain and then by excessive heat, the indifferent 
working of the men from the highways, and other circum- 
stances, helped to depreciate them in public esteem. 

It was in fact difiicult to keep the reconnoissance on the 
two sides of the City forward to completion, though it was 
but a slender reconnoissance and at little expense. The 
engineers generally were withdrawn except those of the 
Coast Survey and a few others. 

The works, as the sites were selected, were examined by 
the highest officers who were in command, first by General 



Ill 

Dana, and next by General Cadwalader, and besides were 
seen by the Mayor, and other gentlemen connected with the 
City Councils, by Mr. Miller, Mr. Vf etherill, Mr. Davis and 
others. Finally, the maps were seen and considered by Gen- 
eral Totten, Chief Engineer of. the United States, and the 
plan of proceeding was approved by him. 

A complete plan of topographical survey embracing the 
environs of Philadelphia has been laid before the Defence 
Committee, to which the Secretary of the Treasury author- 
ized the contribution of the aid of such officers of the Coast 
Survey as could be spared for the purpose. It would be im- 
proper to detail the progress of the reconnoissance of the 
various lines, roads, rivers, bridges, &c., which have been 
carefully examined, the preparations for inundating along 
the creeks, and the maps prepared, especially as the leaves 
quitted the trees and the winter advanced. 

I shall hope still to have this topographical map of the 
environs of Philadelphia, which would serve so admirably for 
studies in laying out systematically, and with consideration, 
the environs of a great city. May it not need again the 
military knowledge collected ? but if needed may it be at 
hand ! not to be collected while the tocsin is sounding, the 
workshops are closed, the chimneys without smoke, but while 
danger is afar, and the arts of peace prevail to be used in 
anticipation, and not hurriedly; to be collected while every 
day is peaceful, not while the enemy is knocking at the 
gates. 

Very respectfully, yours, 

A. D. BACHE, 
E. Spencer Miller, Esq. 

{A true copy.) 



112 



Joint resolution of the Councils of PJiiladelpliia to invite cer- 
tain New England Regiments to enter into the service of 
the State of Pennsylvania, adopted June ^Oth, 1863. 

^Whereas, It is imderstood, that several New England 
regiments are to arrive in tliis city during to-morrow, the 
first of July, on their way to their several rendezvous for the 
purpose of being mustered out, Therefore 

Resolved, By the Select and Common Councils of the City 
of Philadelphia, That a Joint Committee of five members 
for each chamber be appointed to solicit them to remain for 
a short time in the city, to assist in the. public defence in the 
present emergency, and that they shall be entitled to receive 
the same pay and subsistence as other troops enlisted in the 
defence of City and State, and that a bounty of fifty dollars 
shall be paid to each of said soldiers who may so enlist, said 
sum to be paid out of the appropriation already made for the 
immediate defence of the city. 

Note. — On the arrival in tlie city of these troops, the foregoing resolu- 
tion was made known to them by the Committee through their command- 
ing offieer, but the proposition was respectfully declined. One of the 
soldiers while they were considering it, said to a by-stander. " Hallo ! 
"stranger! where are all the men in this big town, that your Councils 
"send a Committee to buy us at fifty dollars a head to do your fighting?" 
One of the roughs standing by, replied " Echo answers : Where !" 



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